


The difference that's made

by Rilaya



Series: When the sun breaks a new day [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Simon Lewis, F/M, M/M, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Simon and Magnus are friends, Simon is a warlock, Simon is powerful but still awkward at times, like for real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-09 05:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7789231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rilaya/pseuds/Rilaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Simon Lewis was just Clary Fray's boring mundane friend, right? Wrong, Simon, a warlock in hiding ever since the Circle's uprising has been hired to protect Clary since she was a child. What happens when Clary is plunged into the Shadow World and Simon is pulled in for the ride? And how does this change how the story plays out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The first steps into a new (old) life

**Author's Note:**

> Just an FYI that this is an AU, and it derails from Canon. I also haven't read the books, so my story doesn't follows rules from them.

Simon Lewis was what many mundanes would call awkward, nerdy, annoying, and the list goes on and on. Yet through all the taunts and harshness he faced he kept his cover well. Play the part, don't make any mistakes, and protect the girl. Easier said than done considering that he had to keep himself hidden from the eyes of those in the Shadow world. Which was immensely hard, especially due to exactly what he was, but easy due to the same fact.

Contacts, spells, an entire fake life, was harder than he had originally thought. Still, it gave him a thrill he had not had in years. One of the harder things was when decades before his plan was set into motion, he had to leave a few people behind in his quest. He was the only one who called it a quest, but he would deny that any day.

His plans were shattered when he was out with a friend and the warning alarm was set off. Of course, he had seen this coming, with Clary regaining more and more of her memories, that had to be pushed further down each day. He expected a few things when he showed up at her house. None of those things came true except for the fact that the place was trashed.

Apparently his plans would be put into motion a lot sooner. Still, he had a cover to keep, so he walked, not portal led, to his home to avoid unnecessary attention. His skin was itching as soon as he stepped foot in Clary's home. It crackled with energy, and he knew he had to find Clary soon, if not all the secrets he and Jocelyn had worked so hard to keep hidden would be diminished.

He growled as he stormed into his apartment, his anger growing by the second. He knew he should have asked where she would be going.

Pandemonium of all places she could wind up. The one night he decides that he deserves a night of fun without having to worry about Clary or Jocelyn is the night that both of them go missing. He figures that Jocelyn is far away with Valentine but Clary could be anywhere.

He didn't have time to figure out specifics, he thinks as he changes into clothes without traces of magic on them. He can't risk anything at this point, and sets off to find Clary.

* * *

_'Okay, plan 1, call her'_ He thinks as he grabs his phone from his pocket and turns the corner towards the Institute, leaving his van.

"Why is it that you haven't answered my calls in two days?" He asks, putting on his best distressed voice.

"Things are all ripped apart," She answers quietly through the line and he curses mentally. Of course she knows.

"Where are you?" He asks, pushing to see what she'll tell him. "Find my friend is saying you are in an abandoned church, I'm outside," He tells her and he can feel the shit storm coming his way. Unless he cakes even more protection on himself as he waits, which is exactly what he does, and he can feel himself sweating under all the spells wrapped around him.

"I see you," She says happily and he is really hoping the others inside can't sense anything other than mundane on him.

"I don't see you," He says, he's lying, he can see her, not physically, but he can.

"Give me five minutes, I have to get dressed," She tells him and he is suddenly very aware of the fact she could have been seriously injured and healed.

"Dressed? What are you doing undressed in an abandoned church,, Clary, is... is there a meth problem we have to talk about?" He says in a worried voice, and thinking _'keep your cover, keep your cover'_

It works because the next thing out of her mouth is, "Simon, just give me five minutes, okay?" with that she hangs up.

' _Five minutes_ ,' He thinks, ' _To get used to three more spells,_ ' he breathes a heavy sigh, 'T _his feels so heavy, how much longer can I keep this up,_ '

He walks towards the doors of the building, rocks moving and crunching under his feet. He is standing there for a few minutes, finally catching his breath. When Clary finally comes out he sees she is talking to a Shadowhunter, asking why he can't see him.

Of course, now he has to act like he can't see someone. Someone who seems a little conceited.

"What do you have on?" He asks Clary, his voice trembling as he feels one of the smaller, less important glamours break. "Let me take you home," He says as he pulls off his jacket.

He can feel her next words before she speaks them, "I don't think I have one anymore," She says looking into his eyes and he notes the rune on her neck. She knows more than she should.

"Why? What do you mean?" He asks playing dumb as best he can.

"Clary Fairchild."

"Clary what's going on?" Simon asks as he ignores the Shadowhunter fighting with one of Valentine's men. "What are you looking at?"

He almost winces when he sees the man break the Shadowhunters hold and when Clary gasps, "Clary?"

He watches as the fight ends and Clary runs over to them, still Simon acts like he can't see a thing.

"Is he dead?" She asks pointing to the body on the ground.

Simon rolls his eyes in his mind, ' _She is really bad at keeping secrets'._

"Is who dead?" He asks and he can feel the magic glamour coming off of the man. He puts his best surprised face on and says, "What the..."

Clary asks the Shadowhunter to deglamourize, which he does.

"Um, what is happening?" Simon asks, swallowing hard, the glamours and spells are strong around him, but the glamour that broke earlier is making him feel anxious.

"We don't have the luxury right now kid, everyone back inside," The Shadowhunter said and walks to the entrance of the building. Simon puts his head down and sneers, _'If only he knew,'_

"Clary, who is this your meth dealer?" Simon asks, knowing he sounds a bit stupid.

"I've seen him before," Clary says pointing to Valentine's man. "At the police station."

"He's a member of the Circle, Clary he's here for you!" The Shadowhunter says.

They go back and forth for a few minutes, which mainly consists of Simon attempting to get her away from the Shadowhunters. He fails miserably, as he expected.

"Mundane, we do not have the time," The Shadowhunter- Jace apparently- tells him, poking his chest. Something bubbles inside of Simon's chest, pushing to get out but he ignores the burning and goes inside the building.

When Jace burns a rune onto himself and grabs his hand he does his best to be as annoying as possible, "Come on buddy, I'm not your type...," He trails off, acting like the building wasn't already the Institution when he walked in.

He was surprised he could even get in, he figures it has something to do with the fact that Jace unknowingly gave him access.

He wants to wipe the smug look off the hunters face when he acts astonished at the sight.

"Clary, is there a war going on I don't know about?" Simon asks her all the while knowing truly what is happen. He deserves a medal, truly.

"There is now," Jace says and does the stereotypical Shadowhunter ominous walk off. He kind of hates most Hunters.

"I think my mother is at the center of it," She tells him, and Simon only wishes she knew truly what is at the center.

He is getting the answers to all the questions he asks and he is snubbing as much of it as possible.

"Your thing?" He asks, making a face when Jace says it.

"He means a Shadowhunter," Clary tells him with ease and he is genuinely surprised she is so calm about all of this. "It's what they do, protecting humans from demons."

"Demons? Right, that makes perfect sense, cause there are demons running all around New York," Simon says incredulously, thinking it is quite funny that he gets to knock on the entirety of the Shadowhunters bases without getting into actual trouble. As well as the fact that they have a half demon in their building right now. Damn, he is good. He deserves an Emmy.

"That is the first correct thing you've said all day," Jace tells him dismissively, and he rolls his neck.

He hears another Shadowhunter approaching them before he sees them and when they say, "What is going on? Why is there a mundane in the Institute?"

The Shadowhunter gives him a look and Simon knows if he can trick a whole building of Shadowhunters his protection and glamours are working fine. More than fine if he does say so himself.

"A Circle member followed him to get to Clary," Jace says and Clary is quick to add something.

"Circle rune, just like the guys that took my mother."

"What exactly is a circle member?" He asks, looking around at them, wondering just how much they will say. "And why are they trying to kill us?"

"All we know is a long time ago the circle led a revolt lot of Shadowhunters got killed including my father," Jace tells him, a solemn tone in his voice.

"And since the revolt we have been forbidden from even hear about the Circle," The other Shadowhunter notes. Simon remembers it, the time when the revolt happened. He was conveniently in the U.K at the time, away from any danger or immediate threat.

"How is that even possible? It's your history?" Clary says, and Simon can tell she is at least a bit saddened by this news.

Jace scoffs and says, "Says the girl who didn't know she was a Shadowhunter?"

"Yeah, yeah you're right," Clary starts and Simon can feel one of her 'wisdom' phrases coming on. "And now the only person who knows the truth is missing so I don't care about your rules or what's forbidden. there has to be someone out there who can tell us why they've taken my mother," She says, looking at the now three Shadowhunters.

Wonderful, Simon can feel exactly who is going to be mentioned as the people who can help.

"There is. Coming?" Jace asks and walks past where they stand.

When Clary moves to follow Jace stops him, telling him he could die if he stepped into the training room, and he truly doesn't want to test that. He guesses they didn't think of who he thought of. When he questions what runes are, the girl Shadowhunter answers him.

"They give Shadowhunters our demon fighting powers," She says and shows the rune on her arm and he shivers. Just the sight of runes can give him the creeps.

"So hot...," He says semi-quietly as he starts to sweat once more near the glowing rune. which is mistaken for calling the Shadowhunter hot, which she is, but Simon has morals. "The rune," He says quickly, and it's probably the first true thing he has said in a while.

The girl laughs a bit at him and tells Clary she will watch over him. She finally gives him her name as well as the stoic tall Shadowhunters. Alec and Isabella, the names sound familiar.

"I'm Isabelle," She says with a seductive smile and she puts her hand out to shake his. This is the ultimate test of his spells, skin on skin contact.

He takes her hand in his and she doesn't falter, "Lewis, Simon. Simon Lewis. Two first names am I still talking?" He asks and he is actually that awkward talking to someone he really likes. Even after all this time he hasn't lost his oddness.

Isabelle giggles as he rambles, he hears Clary say something about 'if anything were to happen to him'

"Go on, I'll be fine," He tells her. He kind of wants to get out of the Institute as soon as possible. It is putting major strain on his spells.

Before Jace leaves to their destination in the building he whispers to Simon, "Hey, uh, don't eat the food. Dangerous," with that he walks off behind Clary.

Simon gives him a confused look as he is pulled away by Isabelle. He needs to find out exactly what is happening. He has been an outsider to the Shadow World for years, people left behind, unable to reach him. While he is with Isabelle he hears Jace mention warlocks and does his best to listen without casting magic.

"Warlock?" Clary asks him.

"Yeah a warlock, Clary. Their immortal beings, half demon, half human, sometimes their fingers spark," Jace is telling her, and Simon remembers the last time he did extravagant magic. The last time his fingers sparked.

"Dot!" He hears Clary say loudly, "My mom's assistant...," She keeps talking but Simon is just happy he never met Dot, warlocks can sniff out other warlocks with ease if they are strong enough. He clues back into reality when he hears Clary say, "Where's Simon?"

He has to stop listening at that point because Isabelle comes into the room with a plate of food and a large smile.

"So what happens to humans if their...runed?" He trails off an points to his own neck. He doesn't know much about Shadowhunters, now would be a great way to find out.

"They usually die," Isabelle tells him, "Sometimes they go crazy, when that happens we call them the Forsaken, then we kill them," She says with ease and it gives him the idea that she possibly has had to deal with one in the past.

"Right, So the rune on Clary's neck...?" He asks, wondering how much these people knew.

"A healing rune, Jace used it to save her life," Isabelle tells him and he nods.

"So Jace knew she was a Shadowhunter?"

"He was almost certain," when she says this Simon gets off the bed, but is greeting with Isabella blocking his way, "Where could you possibly be going?" She says, a hand on his chest pushing him backwards.

"I'm going to get Clary, to protect her from Jace," He says, and he know he sounds weak, any mundane would that says they can protect a Shadowhunter.

"And why would she need protection from Jace, he is the ultimate protector?" Isabella asks him and he has to think of an answer a mundane would say, not that he doesn't trust the likes of Shadowhunters.

"What makes Jace so special?" Simon asks her.

"Fastest, strongest, fiercest," She answers him, then she puts her hand on his chin and he resists the urge to push her away, "And hello, have you seen the guy?"

He mumbles out an apology, and looks around, his skin crawling, itching, and burning all at the same time. His fingers feel like they are going to burn away, being so close to so many Shadowhunters kicking his senses into overdrive.

He can tell the girl is flirting with him and it confuses him, almost as much as the food she brought him, which he won't be consuming.

He continues to ask questions about the Circle and such and when she makes it clear the Circle isn't good for anyone he knows exactly what she means.

* * *

It isn't much later when Simon is back with Clary trying to convince her to just leave with him.

"Let's get out of here, just you and me," He whispers, he made a promise not just to Jocelyn but himself as well and if he fails, he will feel terrible.

"Simon, there are demons out there, actual demons with tentacles that want to murder us, do you know how to kill a demon?" Clary says, babying him, and he thinks, not for the first time, if only she knew what he was capable of.

The guy, Alec, comes in and tells them he doesn't approve of the mission and that he spoke with the Clave. That they are sending scouts, he insults Clary and Jace as well as Isabella defend Clary.

"... There's this thrift store in Greenpoint," Clary starts to say about Dot but gasps as the stone around her neck glows and Simon curses himself. How did he completely not see she had that around her neck.

"What's wrong, what is it?" Jace asks her, and Simon can guess that she just saw a vision of Dot in the moment.

Clary's eyebrows knit together just so and she gives them all a determined look, "Weirdly I think I know where Dot is," She tells them

"Great," Simon says pulling the keys to his van out of his pocket, "I'll drive," He sees the looks all of them are giving him, did he blow his cover, "What unless you have a Shadowhunter mobile or something?" He says with a laugh and Isabella lets out a small huff of a laugh and he smiles. He thinks he's funny.

* * *

Next thing he knows they are running down an alley with Clary screaming for Dot. When she actually takes off he sees the Pandemonium sign and swallows, praying for a miracle that no warlocks are there. Especially not a very specific one who would know him on sight.

He is following Clary through an oddly empty Pandemonium as he gets flashbacks to sweaty bodies and warm drinks...

* * *

_It was decades, the last time he was in Pandemonium. Less modern, less stiff, still free. He could do what he wanted, who he wanted, and be fine. Not thinking of consequences when he met people, forgot names and faces within months. At the time where he was at his most free. He just was, no hiding the fact that he could portal around the world, or do anything he wanted within a reasonable limit. He was with others than understood. Grinding and drinking and breathing (or not in some undead species cases). It was the last time he lost himself in music. Let himself go, no worry about who was watching. The taste of magic on his tongue.  
_

* * *

Snapping out of his haze of memories, he feels magic pulsing through the air as Clary stops and says Dot was only trying to help her.

She grabs at the stone on her neck and sighs, "And now she's gone."

"Clary, I... I'm so sorry," Simon tells her and he means it, losing one of his own stings at least a little.

"No you don't understand, Dot's like my big sister," Clary says, grasping that something bad may happen.

"No, it isn't safe here," Alec says, "We have to go back to the Institute right now," He tells them all, trying to hold his ground. Simon can tell he is one of the good little soldiers.

"So what now, Valentine has my mom and Dot, we're just going to give up?" She asks the Shadowhunters yet Simon still feels bad for what she has to go through, "What about my memories, they can't just be gone."

"There is another option," Jace says, now this is where they go where Simon thought they would be originally.

"Don't even," Isabelle says at the same time Alec monotonously says "Absolutely not."

"I'm not afraid of the Silent Brothers," Jace says with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Who are the Silent Brothers?" Clary asks Jace, interest in her voice and Simon can only imagine the danger she is about to be put into.

"Shadowhunters with superior powers," Jace tells her and Isabella picks up where he stops.

"They posses the ability to recover memories," She says.

"A process that can also kill you," Alec adds in, his tone not showing even a hint of caring. "So there's that."

"Your bedside manners are dismal," Simon tells him, still relishing in the fact that he can essentially openly insult Shadowhunters.

Alec goes on to explain how many Clave rules they have broken and how he won't let them go to the City of Bones. The three go back and forth on the fact that it is Clary's decision before Clary herself says if there is no other way then she will do it. Simon wishes he could help but only the warlock that locked away her memories could get them back.

Clary says, "That settles it," When no one offers up another way to unlock her memories and Simon almost misses Jace saying something to Alec as he feels a glamour getting stressed when Isabelle grabs his arm in both hands and pulls him close, walking out with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think :)


	2. When the cover must be kept and skin burns like fire

Simon drives them to where they say the City of Bones is and they all get out of the car.

"Yeah, this place isn't creepy, not at all," He says as he looks around to the graffiti covered area of underneath a bridge.

Isabelle scoffs and asks him, "You aren't afraid are you?"

It's his turn to scoff and he says, "Are you kidding? I was born afraid, which sounded a lot better in my head," Which he will admit is true, well was true at one point.

Alec is surprisingly the one to make the first move, walking forward towards the bridge, "Let's check it out."

Jace stops Clary, "Wait here a minute, I wanna see if it's safe," and walks off ahead.

Simon feels his body tremble, his forehead is lined with sweat from the struggle of holding up so many spells that wrap around his power.

Clary walks over to him and he asks her, "Why are we doing this? We don't even now these people."

She sighs and says, "I wish my mom trusted me enough to tell me all of this," she looks off at the Shadowhunters and Simon wishes he had the courage to tell her the truth, "What is it? What's wrong?" She asks him, noting his stare and silence.

"How are you not ultra freaked out by all of this?" He asks her.

"I guess I just always felt like something was missing," She says, and he recalls times when she would say she felt like there was a whole in her life yet nothing was gone. "Some void I couldn't quite explain..." She explains that it makes sense. And he listens as best he can and he agrees they need to get her mom back.

"Come on Clary, It's safe," Jace calls over to them or more like Clary and she nods for him to follow.

He follows them through garbage cans that have fie in them and he wants to laugh at the dramatics before he remembers Magnus and his flare for dramatics and how he would go along with it.

"I can do this," Clary whispers to herself and Simon feels the need to cheer her on.

"Yeah you can, you're Clary freaking Fray, you can do anything," He tells her with a small smile and he goes towards the entrance of the City of Bones.

Of course, Jace stops him, "Alright hold up," he says.

"Surprise, surprise, no mundanes allowed just like in the training room, right? Wrong, I've seen every horror movie ever made, and the funny best friend who gets left behind," He stops for dramatic release and he knows everyone wants to laugh at him, "Dead man."

"You're not that funny," Jace says and he feels personally victimized by that sentence, "But by all means go ahead," He says so Simon makes his way to the entrance again before Jace tells him he will actually die if he walks through.

After voicing his disbelief Alec sets him straight, "The rune energy in the City of Bones will kill any mundane that dares to enter, so, please?"

To his luck (complete sarcasm) Isabelle offers to stay behind with him.

"Your sacrifice is noted, Izzy," Jace tells her and Simon puts his two sense in on the fact that he is missing class.

Alec makes a motion towards him and says, "I can't be here anymore, Jace, so I'm gonna go mind the perimeter," he finishes and walks off.

"They are getting to be quite the team," Izzy says when Jace and Clary go into the entrance.

Simon feels disgusted at the thought of a good little soldier and Clary, "Nope, not really," he says.

Shadowhunters, at least the ones who follow their own workings and only ever treat downworlders with the slightest bit of pity when they need something.

He is warming his hands on one of the garbage fires, trying to calm his nerves so he doesn't bust all of his glamours and protection spells.

"So is cracking someine's mind open supposed to take this long?" He asks Izzy, needing to focus his mind on something other than his senses. "Maybe we, or you should go check?" He asks but is quickly shut down by Alec which adds to his frustration.

After a bit of banter between him and Alec with Izzy making comments in between, he makes up some bullshit story on how his mother wants him to be a CPA. When she was alive she wanted nothing to do with him. He tells Izzy he is in a band and she asks if he has any music on him of his.

"Yeah, we recorded our last set we killed it," He says, rambling but stops when he remembers where his phone is, "I left my phone in the van,"

"Let's go get it," Isabelle says and if his skin wasn't on fire and if his head wasn't clouded with the instinct to flee, he would realize she may be trying to do something when they get to the van.

They get to the van and he climbs in the passenger seat, ignoring the messages from Maureen.

"Just a second," He says to Izzy when she touches the edge of his glasses and his head starts to pound, glamours starting to go haywire by being so close to an opposite. He stutters out something incoherent. Izzy quickly turns around and his head starts to hurt a bit less, the tension between them lessening.

"I'll be right back, don't leave the van, "She says quickly and shuts the door.

He sighs as his skin starts to feel less hot and irritated, he slips his headphones on and cracks his neck. As he plays the music he recorded a few days ago he feels a presence in the van but before he can do anything he is grabbed, and can't let his cover go. Not yet.

* * *

He is being hung upside down by his feet by vampires and this doesn't reach top 5 in the worst days of his entire life. He feels like that should say something but he is too focused on the fact that his magic is practically ripping at his skin to get out. He holds his glamours tight though and he sees Clary and the Shadowhunters at the van. He hears the vampire holding his foot yell down, but the whacked out glamours and being held upside down are making him woozy.

"I'm afraid Simon's coming with us," The male vampire says and he knows if he gets put into life threatening danger he will have to pull down all spells hiding his true nature and portal out.

He promises himself only if necessary. He has spent more than a decade, which isn't much to him, but still, on this.

"No, no, no he's not a part of this!" Clary yells up to them.

"And it will be my pleasure to kill you unless you return him," Jace says, and Simon almost hates him a little less. Almost.

"Careful then you'd be breaking the Accords," Alec tells him and just Simon's luck, now they decide to follow their own rules for once this night.

The vampire yells something down, but Simon is starting to black out, the blood rushing to his head and all his energy on not letting his guard down.

"I'm afraid your side-kicks quite right. The night-children have broken no laws, we are negotiating," The vampire yells down and Simon wants to push him off the bridge for sounding so pretentious. "The mundane, unharmed, in exchange for the Mortal Cup," he says, and goddamn Simon feels proud. His magic is damn good if he can trip every Shadow World patron into thinking he is a mundane. "And the clock is ticking, tick-tock people," The vampire says and they whisk away, Simon yelling out Clary's name.

He can't help but think how pretentious this vampire is. Simon blacks out as he is flying through the air.

* * *

Simon bangs on the door to the messy room he woke up in.

"Hello? Hello? Anyone?" He yells out. He needs a very serious reason to let loose all his spells around him. "I'm just an accounting student! I have no value to anyone," He yells out again and continues to ramble on, trying to get let out without unleashing his powers, which he knows won't be happening.

He makes a big show of being the mundane who has no idea what's going on, it being his second biggest card to play at this point. The door is flown open and in comes the vampire that did all the talking at the ridge.

"Hey, you scared the crap out of me," He says laughing, being honest, he isn't as focused with his spells hiding his magic. "Mission accomplished,"

The vampire slams the door open and, Simon isn't proud of this, but one of the first thoughts is that this vampire is really hot.

He is pushed into a room with luxurious furniture and statues and all the things vampires hold apparently. He internally rolls his eyes, again with such dramatics.

"So, how does this end?" He asks the vampire who pushed him into the room. "Do I... do I get outta here or?" He says trailing off looking around the room for any hints of whats to come.

"The answer to that is above my pay grade," The vampire says, and Simon feels a statue.

"Pay grade? They pay vampires?" He says continuing to slowly take inventory of the room, his skin still burning, but less now that he is around other Downworlders.

"Let's just say, we invest early and often," The vampire says with a smile, he runs into a statue and the vampire gets serious, "Sit down."

He questions him as he continues to walk around the room. "I really hate fidgeting," The vampire notes.

"I'm just uh... looking," Simon says awkwardly.

"For a way out?" The vampire asks, looking sarcastic, which Simon didn't know possible. The vampire inhales and looks condescending now, "There isn't one,"

"No no, I mean all the cool stuff you guys collect, steal," He says, looking for something to use as a distraction. He makes a noise into a jar but quickly gets over that idea.

"Leonidas the first had been trying to peddle that junk for years," The vampire says in a dismissive tone. "Museums make you prove antiques are legit these days," he says with a laugh jut as Simon spots a long dagger in the glass case.

"Yeah, naturally," Simon says, but he can relate to a time when he could hock his old stuff without needing records.

"When they ask where you got it, what do you say?" The vampire asks him, and Simon almost yells that he understands completely but holds back. Keeping an eye on the dagger. "It's not against the law to rob my own grave," The vampire ays and Simon gets the weird feeling he is subtly trying to impress him. With or without realizing.

Simon feels a bit bad as he picks up the dagger as chucks it at the vampire, who chuckles as the dagger hits above his heart ans Simon knows soon he has to do something to get out and escape.

The vampire pulls out the dagger laughing still, "Oh, please," then looks at his jacket, "Honestly, I just got this jacket. There's no way out, you're a hostage, so accept it," The vampire tells him.

"I'm a hostage?" He asks, "That means you won't kill me yeah?" Maybe he won't have to blow his cover after all.

Then in walks someone he actually knows. Which why didn't he think earlier that Camille wouldn't be the one to kidnap him. Luckily, she doesn't know him. He is old, he knows how o avoid people who can bite you in the ass.

"Won't kill you? Who said that? Raphael," She says giving the male a look as she saunters up to him, and he knows it's now or never. If she tries to enchant him he has to blow, vampires can't enchant warlocks after all.

"Oh look, how sweet? You're bleeding," She says and touches his forehead, a cut on it, and his eyes widen. Warlock blood tastes the same as human blood, but it makes vampires trip out. So he is gonna be a good little mouse and let her drink.

She dismisses Raphael quickly and before Simon knows it, she is acting the slightest bit hazy, without even realizing it. Slightly tripping on her words, slurring a tad. Warlock blood is like alcohol. What he doesn't count on is Raphael coming in and telling her to escape through the back tunnels.

Or to have the same dagger he threw at the vampire being held against his neck as he is used to get Clary and the Shadowhunters somewhere. He leads them to a door and tells them to leave. He hides behind Simon and pipes to ensure he doesn't get burned by the sun. Simon's skin still burns and his body aches with everything that has happened but he is ignoring it.

When Raphael releases him he is even more surprised.

"I don't know how to thank you," Simon says to him, getting pulled away for Jace and he makes himself yet another promise. He will repay Raphael.

"Don't thank me, you mean nothing," Raphael says, and it stings a bit, "This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring."

Jace pushes Simon out of the building and onto the roof when Raphael shouts, "Jace Wayland," The vampire waits until Jace is looking at him and says, "Remember who your friends are."

Simon hears and knows, that no matter what, he certainly will be. They are all standing on the roof and Simon breathes, his body trembling. He almost had to out himself, he could have gotten people killed.

"Shouldn't we get the hell outta here?" He asks, not wanting to be near the hotel full of vampires and Shadowhunters at the same time.

"Why, Simon?" Jace asks him and Simon grimaces at the feeling of glamours and scent spells on him getting stronger again.

"They're right downstairs." He says.

"Let them come after us, they'll just turned into a bunch of fried eggs out her," Jace 'informs' him. Of course he knows that, but he still has an itch that wants to be scratched but he can't. "I thought you said you watched movies."

They all climb the small set of stairs and Simon figures this is the only way to get somewhere.

Clary comes over to him, "Oh my god, it's actually over. I was so afraid I would lose you," She says and smiles brightly, "It's true you're actually here."

"You know I'd do anything for you," He says and pulls her into a hug, he would kill, and he has the sneaking suspicion he will have to actually blow his cover soon.

"I couldn't live without you," She tells him and he smiles, "You're all I have left. My whole life just disappeared, I'm supposed to be this other thing, live this other way, your my best friend," She says as she holds his shoulders and he feels his heart break, knowing soon she may not feel that way once she knows the truth.

"Don't you ever let yourself get into that kind of trouble again," She tells him and he smiles.

"I've had worse," He tells her, and she doesn't know how true that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment! Let me know what you think


	3. When the Warlock is met

"...I was strapped to this piece of furniture and my mom was there, she kept telling this guy to protect me," Clary says, explaining the nightmare Simon had just woken her up from, "But then he reached his hand into my skull and ripped out my brain."

Simon knows what she is talking about. It's the process of memory extraction, he is probably powerful enough to do it, but never has. And he has a feeling he knows who is doing the procedure.

"Hello, Freddie Kruger," She says, trying to make her laugh. It doesn't work.

"Tell me about it," She says.

He wishes he could, but it isn't the time yet, he knows it's coming. Just around the corner and he will gave to reveal what he is. That he isn't a mundane, that he is so much more, or less depending on who you are.

"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in the infirmary?" She asks him and he can't say he is making sure nothing happens to her.

"I needed to see you," He opts for the simple answer.

During their conversation he knows Jace is listening to part of it, but he has to ignore that.

"Maybe I remember where my mom hid the cup, maybe I can save her," Clary says and he knows this inevitably leads to finding the warlock who took her memories. "I just want to put all this behind me." She stammers and continues, "But I don't know this world, I don't even know where to start looking," She says tiredly and he knows she can never leave this life behind. She is in too deep, too many prices on her head to turn around when it's over and live a normal life.

He is asking questions about the dream when she says the million dollar name, "Yeah, she called him Magnus, I mean, it's completely random," She says and Simon cuts her off.

"Magnus Bane?" He asks quickly.

"Maybe? Why? How do you know that name?" She asks him and no he has to think of a way to cover this. A light bulb goes off in his head

"I heard it from the vampire, you know the shockingly hot one...," He says and then trials off, "Raphael, uh he and Camille were talking about how angry Camille was at this guy named Magnus Bane when I mentioned your memories," He tells her and it's half truth because Raphael and Camille did mention a Magnus Bane. But only is quick passing with other warlocks.

"Simon, you're amazing, you just gave us a solid lead!" She whisper yells and pulls him into a hug.

 _'Yup,'_ he thinks, ' _And a ticket to me getting in trouble with a lot of people, including you,_ '

She gets up and when he asks where she is going she says she is going to tell Jace.

"What would I do without you?" She asks him as she pulls on a cardigan and runs out of the door.

He rushes to follow after her, knowing whatever the plans are to find the warlock, he needs to be in the know.

When they rush in to find Jace he is shirtless, of course, and working out.

"Sorry we should have knocked," Simon says and Clary seems a bit distracted but she shakes her head and her excitement is back. Jace pulls a shirt on and asks them what's up.

"I need you to tell me everything you can about Magnus Bane," She tells him and Simon sits down on the couch, content on hearing how Shadowhunters view Magnus.

"Magnus Bane, he's the high warlock of Brooklyn. Why?" He asks her in return and she explains to him what Simon told her. Simon making nodding motions and hums of agreement.

"Right, you believe your little mundane friend?" Jace asks her, shooting a harsh glare at Simon and it makes his body tremble in anger.

"I believe Simon, besides I keep having these dreams, where a guy named Magnus takes my memories. My mom is saying to protect me," She says to Jace and Simon smiles that she is defending him so easily, relishing in something he may not have much longer.

"Like memory fragments?" Jace asks and she nods. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Simon wants to scoff at him, that she hasn't even known him a week and he is proud when Clary voices that exact thought. As well as the fact that Magnus is actually real, which Simon definitely knew.

"Magnus' magic is so powerful he can invade even the Silent Brothers," Jace says, "If he's the warlock that took your memories, he could be the key to everything."

Simon thinks back to the last time he saw Magnus. He was happy, content, eyes free to look what they actually did. He missed how he could be his entire self with Magnus, he just hopes falling off the face of the Earth for a bit didn't put to much of a damper on things.

He stands up and quietly exits the room, not even being noticed by the two other people in it. He goes down the hall and through the building and thinks that if he wants he can leave now, let go of all his spells and glamours and just be the same again. He could find Magnus, which would be hard, but still, he could.

Clary finds him when he is almost at the doors.

"Simon, what are you doing?" She asks, keeping pace with him.

He stops in his tracks when Clary puts a hand on his arm.

"I feel like I'm suffocating in here, Clary," He tells her and it is the complete truth. The only place he can be glamour and spell free is his apartment, which he can't even do actual magic in.

"You can't leave, Simon."

"I can and I need to, I need to breathe, I am just going home," He tells her as he finally reaches the doors, only to be met with Jace.

"Well, I say you can't," Jace tells him and he almost snaps.

"I am going home for the night, I promise I will be back in the morning," He tells her, doing his best to hide the fact he is shivering.

"Okay," She says nodding, "Just be back in a few hours. I'm not finding Magnus Bane alone," She tells him, lightly hitting his shoulder.

"Of course, I wouldn't let you. I am the one who brought the info," He smiles and goes through the doors.

* * *

He only plans on being home for 10 minutes, then he is going straight back to the Institute, he doesn't plan on missing any of the planning. While he is inside, he shuts the door, the wards immediately going up and he drops all the spells. He only ever gets a few minutes a week to be himself.

He gets in the shower and scrubs off the scent of vampire and any crap from the hotel. He feels a lot cleaner when he is done and he grabs a bag full of clothes, as much as he hates it, he is probably staying at the Institute for at least a day longer.

He is ready to head out when his hand stops on the doorknob. His mind reverting back to the fact that he doesn't have to go back. He can go and find Magnus. He knows if he opens the door without all his glamours and spells Magnus could find him easily.

Slowly, he replaces each glamour back on, not feeling as weighed down as before, they only get heavier the longer he wears them. He'll find Magnus through the Shadowhunters, he will have to tell Clary the truth eventually. Why not show Magnus he is alive and tell Clary he isn't who she thinks in one go? He knows the first thing he is doing when his secret comes undone is magic. Actual magic, not glamours and cheap tricks.

He makes it back to the Institute in what he would call record time and Clary greets him at the door, pulling him inside.

"I made sure we waited for you. Hodge is going to tell us all about Magnus Bane," She says smiling and sits down on top of the table where everyone is at. Izzy gives him a warm smile and the rest just look at him before Hodge starts the presentation.

"Magnus Bane," Hodge starts and an old photo of Magnus is pulled on screen, "He's over 300 years old, and as you can see, he's not exactly shied away from the pleasures of every century," Hodge flips through photos, and this is why Simon always refuses to get his photo taken. Always. "His tastes are both exquisite and quite excessive," Simon has to muffle his laughter as he has lived a life different from Magnus. Still fun, less in the limelight.

"Looks like the Downworld Guetta," Clary says joking and Simon almost says what Izzy does.

"Guetta is already a Downworlder, vampire?" She says as an explanation, "Ever seen him in the daylight?"

"Focus, this is no joke," Alec says, his focus clear on the screen.

"I agree with Alec, this is serious world threatening stuff at stake," Simon says, shocking everyone at the table, even Clary.

"Both are right, Magnus is one of the most powerful warlocks I've ever known, he has a deep mistrust of Shadowhunters," Hodge cuts in and Simon can vouch for that.

"Then why did he help my mom remove my memories?" Clary asks them all. "Isn't she a Shadowhunter?"

"Yes, one of the very best," Hodge says, "Help may not be the most accurate word. Now, Magnus may have provided a service for Jocelyn? Perhaps, more than likely your mother paid," Hodge explained to her, and Clary shrunk a bit. "She probably paid quite handsomely."

 _'He never really does anything without pay'_ Simon thinks to himself.

"Warlocks require payment before they help anyone with anything," Jace adds and Simon thinks of the money he has in the bank from Jocelyn.

"The Clave says most of the warlocks have gone into hiding," Alec says and that gains Simon's interest quickly. "Since Valentine began hunting them," Alec explains the reason and Simon freezes. Hunting warlocks. "There was whispers of an equally powerful warlock back in the day, but he has seemed to have vanished. Many think he is but a tale Downworlders made up to scare Shadowhunter."

"Valentine must be searching for the warlock that blocked the way to Joc..." Hodge stops talking as the mark on his neck burns and he gags.

"Hodge, are you okay?" Clary asks quickly, and it is mostly because she knows she is playing a part in his pain.

Hodge just gives her a look and she rolls her eyes and continues, "So how do we find Magnus?"

"We don't," Jace tells her and Simon wonders how they think they can lure Magnus out. "Magnus finds us, we'll set up the meeting somewhere protected. Lure him out of hiding."

How? Is all Simon is thinking, Magnus only comes out of hiding for few things.

"And I know exactly where we do it," Izzy says smugly, sliding off the table and bounding to the computer screens, taking the controller from Hodge.

"A Downworld rave, nice Izzy," Hodge says with a large smile.

"Where did you get that?" Alec asks her.

"During my surveillance of the Downworlders," She sighs and continues, "From what hear Magnus likes to party," She says, and Simon knows Magnus may take the bait, but maybe not.

"He'll never go for it, not with Valentine trying to kill him," Alec says, making a good point before Jace refutes him.

"Of course he will, he'll blend in, hide in plain sight."

"I don't know how-" Simon starts trying to get a read on the plan but Izzy cuts him off.

"Trust us, if Magnus is coming out of hiding he's going to one of the biggest parties of the year," She says with a smirk.

"Never underestimate Magnus' hedonism," Hodge says with a small laugh, and Simon can remember when he was like that. "Or his greed. Come with me," He says and walks away from the room.

When Hodge pulls out the necklace Simon chokes, receiving odd looks from everyone, but he knows that necklace. He ignores the explanation from Hodge already knowing the full story and then some.

"... He just might take the bait," Hodge says and it becomes more likely he will.

After Jace declares he is going to send Magnus a message he says, "We have to get to Magnus before Valentine does," and Simon couldn't agree more.

* * *

Simon took a while to get them to let him go, but Clary said she won't do it without him. He knows any warlock there is going to know immediately, so he has to tell them soon, or just let them be blind sided. He decided to wear one of the jackets Magnus had loaned him forever ago, put his earrings in and donned his ring.

"Wow, apparently Simon knows how to dress for one of these," Izzy says with a laugh when he greets them at the door to the party.

"Just go crazy, right?" He says with a nervous laugh, knowing he is safe from being noticed as warlock from anyone but warlocks.

Jace tells them to blend in and he laughs, it being so truly easy to blend in, "Keep your weapons ready,"

Simon spots Magnus just as all of the others do and he is safely hidden behind Izzy, but he knows Magnus must be able to sense another warlock at the event. He stays behind with Izzy on the dance floor when Clary and Jace go up to him

It's a few minutes later when Jace and Alec get Magnus' location, when they reach Magnus' lair Alec tells him not to get in the way and he doubts he would be the one to cause trouble.

He stays behind everyone and when they pass through to the lair he follows at a distance. He has no idea how Magnus will react to seeing him.

Magnus moves them all to a different location and Simon saw Magnus look right at him with wide eyes but kept silent. He known Magnus, and he knows he will confront him sooner rather than later.

* * *

"Then why should I trust you?" Simon hears Clary ask.

"You shouldn't, only trust yourself."

"What about Simon?" Clary asks and he sees Magnus get a hard look on his face.

"Like I said, only yourself," Magnus tells her before going on to explain what she must do.

* * *

Jace and Clary are in the room, Alec and Izzy are talking in the corner when Magnus comes up to him and gives him a tight hug.

"Simon," Magnus says, holding his shoulders and looking him up and down.

He hears Izzy and Alec get closer to them as Magnus sighs and touches his ear.

"Magnus," Simon says back, it being so long since he last even say his friend so close.

"What's going on here?" Alec asks them in confusion and Magnus turns to him.

"Oh pretty boy, I'm guessing none of you know?" Magnus asks him and Alec smirks.

"Know what?" He asks in return and Magnus looks at Simon with a raised eyebrow and the two siblings looked at him with slits in their eyes.

"Oh Simon, maybe you should let go of those silly glamours now," Magnus suggested which caused Izzy and Alec to raise their eyebrows.

"What does he mean, Simon?" Izzy asks him, looking hurt, but Alec just looks angry.

Simon sighs and sits down in the chair next to him and let's go all of the glamours and spells. "I haven't been completely honest with any of you," He tells them, his head still hanging low. He rubs the back of his neck and he lifts his head to them.

Izzy takes a step back with a gasp, Alec seems unfazed, and Magnus let's out a laugh.

"There is the Simon I know," He says with a smirk.

"You... You're a...," Izzy says trailing off, at a loss for words.

"I'm a warlock, yes," Simon confirms and his eyes don't feel strained, his cat like eyes now visible to them all.

"Why?" Is all Alec asks and Simon looks to Magnus, who wants to ask the same question.

"Thirteen years ago I was hired to protect a child. Or at least keep watch, that child was Clary Fairchild," Simon informs them, "I have been in hiding for the past few decades-" He was going to go on but Magnus cuts him off.

"I thought you dead, Simon. I couldn't feel your magic, then you just show up here, looking like a mundane," Magnus says, anger present in his voice, "You left."

"I'm sorry, I am, but I sensed something on the horizon." Simon stands up. "Clary doesn't know, she will when she is finished with the pentagram. I'll explain all then," He tells them with a nod.

"Fine, but you will explain everything." Izzy and Alec walk off and Magnus pulls him close to whisper in his ear.

"Simon, if anything goes wrong, I need you to be able to help me," Magnus whispers to him and Simon nods, "We are both powerful, I trust we could possibly fix if something goes bad," Magnus says and takes a step back.

Simon stutters before finding his words, "I am sorry, but I'm here now."

Magnus nods and walks off, "Protect the doors, and if I call you, come in," Magnus tells him as he shuts the doors to the room they will be doing the summoning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Comment yah heart out


	4. Out of the woodwork they come

He hears crashing from inside the room and hears Magnus shout, "I cannot contain the demon much longer!"

Simon stands up, hands on the knobs ready to come in and help if needed, he will only go in if called.

"Simon!" He hears Magnus shout loudly and he storms in, glasses that aren't needed flying off in the wind. He sees Clary backed onto a wall, Jace held by the Demon and Izzy and Alec trying to pull him from it.

He sees Clary about to rush at the demon, but his job is to keep her safe. With a wave of his hands a blue sparks at his finger tips he pushes her back to the wall. He feels his eyes glowing brightly and raises his arms, shouting out a string of words to link the summoning to him as well as Magnus.

Having the Demon relatively contained Simon looks to Clary, who looks confused but he nods his head, silently telling her to attack the demon.

She charges him just as the Demon drops Jace onto the ground, no longer strong enough to hold him with two warlocks having a grip on him. Clary stabs the demon and it fizzles away.

He sees Magnus stand up straight and pull off his jacket. Clary rushes to Jace, who is unconscious on the ground. She gives him a weird look as he stands next to her as Magnus comes up to the group.

"Jace are you okay? Is he going to be okay?" Izzy asks Magnus ans Simon, her head twisting to look at both of them.

"I don't know, does he normally lay there like that without moving?" Magnus asks and Simon barks out a laugh

"Only you would joke about that," Simon says, shaking his head.

Jace scares those around him as he shoots up on his knees, coughing and holding his stomach. "I'm alright," he keeps saying over and over and Magnus gives Simon the 'yeah right' look. Alec leaves and Magnus follows behind, Simon giving him an exasperated look.

After Jace is confirmed okay, Clary and him look to Simon.

"What was that?" Clary asks him, her voice shaking.

"That was Simon saving our lives, well your guys'," Magnus says, pulling Simon into the living room, everyone else following.

"Simon?" Clary insists as Magnus hands Simon a glass of wine.

"Clary," Simon says, "I think it's obvious now what that was. I'm a warlock," He tells her, his eyes trained on the floor.

He hears her gasp, "What? For... for how long?" She asks him, and he hears Jace growl.

"My whole life Clary, I'm a lot older than all of you," He says, and he hears protest from Magnus, who is at the kitchen counter.

"Why...," Clary says, trailing off, tears in her eyes.

"I was hired to protect you," He explains, putting a hand on her shoulder, "This is the first time I've done magic that wasn't glamours in so long," Simon sighs.

"He fell off the map years ago, I didn't even know he was alive until tonight," Magnus says, a hint of venom in his voice.

"I am sorry, all of you. I did what was necessary, and I hope you understand," Simon says, and Izzy sighs.

"You're still Simon," She says with a shrug, "Just Downworlder Simon."

Simon gives her a half smile.

"I still don't like you, but we'll deal," Jace says with a sneer.

"I'm still Simon," He tells Clary.

"I need some time," She says, no emotion in her voice and turns away from him.

"We'll go back to the Institute," Alec says, he glances at Magnus with something in his eyes that Simon can't quite pinpoint.

"Okay...," Simon says quietly. He knew this would happen when she found out the truth. He's hurt, but he knows he will move on.

The Shadowhunters leave, all giving him differing looks of confusion. Once they are gone Magnus lays across the chair.

" **I** forgive you, Simon," Magnus says, waving his glass around. "I do understand best, after all."

"Thanks, Magnus," Simon says with a sigh.

"Now, what to do?" Magnus says, clicking his tongue.

"What do you mean?" Simon questions, his split pupils narrowing.

"About that absolutely divine Shadowhunter, of course," Magnus says as if it is the most obvious thing n the world.

Simon rolled his eyes, knowing he is talking about Alec. Simon suddenly realized he had no idea why he lost control of the demon.

"Mag?" Simon says and Magnus sets his glass now, "Why did you lose control?"

Magnus' head lolls to the side with a sigh and a dramatic eye roll, "The divine hunter's most loved one was the other male hunter, he had a scare from it and released mine and the boys hand," Magnus tells Simon as he stands and walks to the kitchen.

"And you're still going to pursue him?" Simon asks, his eyebrows pinching together. "He's a Shadowhunter," Simon informs as if Magnus doesn't know.

Magnus glares at Simon, "Of course, but have you seen him? Not to mention the fact that you didn't witness our first conversation, there was something there," Magnus says, and his tone makes it clear that he won't be giving up any time soon.

"Lovely," Simon says.

"So Simon, shall you be staying here for a while?" Magnus asks him, tossing menus all over the place. "Where have you been?"

"An apartment, here is probably safer, mostly because Clary knows where I live. Which means anyone near her can find out," He says, picking up the menus Magnus is throwing.

"Nice job on the glamours by the way," Magnus compliments him. "What's the longest you went without taking them off?" He asks, knowing the pain can get excruciating if left on too long without breaks.

Simon purses his lips and looks out the large windows, "Two and a half weeks,"

Magnus gasps, "It must have been horrible,"

Simon huffs out a strained laugh, "It was, I feel so free right now. Like I did when we were younger. It's been so long since I've gone more than 30 minutes without glamours," Simon tells Magnus and he is greeted with a cupcake.

"Decades of birthdays missed, in one cupcake," Magnus says and Simon can't resist the urge to laugh at his friend's oddness.

"I missed you," Simon tells him as he takes the cupcake. "I need to do a spell, any spell."

"Then do one, Simon. You aren't restricted any longer, by the rules you placed on yourself," Magnus says, placing his hands on Simon's shoulders.

* * *

Izzy is walking down the street, they are almost to the Institute, Clary and Jace a bit ahead of her and Alec.

"Alec," She whispers to him, to not alert the other two.

"What?" He asks, his jaw clenched.

"You don't think Simon could be the warlock that disappeared before, right?" She asks him, worry in her tone.

"The one who was said to have powers that rivaled Magnus'?" Alec asks her, his face becoming hard.

"Yeah, that one," She confirms and Alec scoffs.

"No way," Alec says, "He got kidnapped by vampires."

"Yeah, but you saw him. He helped stop a Greater Demon, he was able to hide who he truly was, from everyone," She says, looking up at Alec, holding his arm.

"No, even if he was, we would have some record of him. Photos, witnesses, something," Alec tells her, trying to calm her nerves, "There's no way."

Izzy lets out a relieved sigh, "Of course, I don't know what I was thinking."

* * *

It's later, a day later, not long in the eyes of an immortal but still time passing. Simon tells Magnus he has to grab things from his apartment and that he will be back after he clears the area and gets rid of any trace of him. Simon can't portal to his home, having wards up, so he says he will portal into Magnus' when he is done.

Magnus is in the living room holding his phone up to his ear, when the ringing stops and a voice comes on the line he does a small dance, "Hello? Who is this?" Says the person on the other line.

"Alexander, Hi," Magnus says turning away from the window, "It's Magnus, we met the other day, you know? With the demon," Magnus says, picking up a book and flipping it into the air.

"Uh yeah, yeah. Hey what;s up?" Alec asks him, a bit confused why the warlock was contacting him

"I was just thinking that it was really nice getting to know you, you seem...," Magnus says and trails off, trying to find the right word, "Sympathetic," Magnus goes in for the strike with his next words, "Would you like to go out for a drink sometime?"

Magnus can almost imagine the shocked look on Alec's face when he replies. "That sounds fun, um when?"

Magnus smirks, knowing Simon will be a while, "How about right now?"

"Um...," Alec says and Magnus hears shuffling through the phone line. "You know now's not really a good time for me, another time. Gotta go," Alec says quickly and hangs up the phone.

Magnus quirks and eyebrow at the phone, "Playing hard to get, hmm Alexander?" he says aloud to himself and smirks, "I love a challenge."

* * *

Meanwhile Simon finally makes it to his apartment, but instead of the easy pathway to get inside he is greeted with Maureen standing outside the lobby door.

"Maureen?" He asks, looking at the girl.

"Simon!" She says, giving him a quick hug. Luckily she can't see past the normal world, or see his actual features, "You haven't answered texts or calls in almost a week! Neither has Clary! I thought something bad had happened," She tells him her arms flailing all around as she talks.

"I...," Simon starts but Maureen cuts him off.

"You missed so many practices," She says, "Where have you been?" She asks, finally taking note of his teal jacket, earrings, and glitter on his cheeks.

"A friend had a party, an old friend. I had to go," Simon says, trying to explain.

"For a week?" She asks, obviously not believing his story.

"No, we just hadn't seen each other in a while," He tells her and slips into the elevator. Which was an understatement if he has ever said one.

"Still, you didn't contact me at all," Maureen says, getting into the elevator with him.

"Listen, I'm sorry I really am. But you see my friend really wants me to help him with some stuff, like moving around his apartment, show me his new books, meet his new friends, and all that stuff that old friends do you know?" He says, trying to get her to leave, the faster he is the better.

"Yeah, okay, but what's up, are you okay?" She asks him, looking at him with worry in her eyes.

"I'm okay, I promise. I really gotta go I'm sorry," Simon says and leaves the elevator and Maureen behind as he walks to his apartment.

As soon as he opens the door, he moves to gather all the things he is taking in a pile. All his books, boxes with jewelry, and other small things. His valuables are all being held in a safe place, so he doesn't have to worry too much. He checks to make sure he has everything. After confirming he puts everything into a chest and he waves his arm in specific movements, destroying any of his mundane possessions he isn't taking with him.

Simon looms around at the bare room and sighs.

"Goodbye," He says as he opens a portal to Magnus' home and levitates the trunk through before going through himself.

* * *

"There's something down here," Alec says as he pulls a wooden box out of the floor, where Clary pulled a floor board from.

Clary takes the box, telling Alec it's the same box her mother would look into, and opens it. "I don't know what any of this is," Clary says and there is a clattering from outside making her and Alec jump.

"There's someone here. Get what you need. Don't leave the room until I'm back," Alec tells her, leaving her alone in the room.

Alec is trying to see what's making the rustling noise when he sees Clary being pushed into a car and driven away.

* * *

"I don't know where the cup is, I swear." She tells them, the hand cuffs clinking on the table.

"If you don't tell us, we will find your weird friend and kill him," The guy with Alaric says and Clary scoffs.

"Simon?" She asks.

The guys just nods and she bangs her hands on the table, "I don't know. I have no clue where the cup is," she says just as she hears growling and the guy explains that Gretel will find Simon and kill him.

"You're werewolves," She says, putting the pieces together.

"Your friend is dog meat, if you don't give us the cup," He tells her stamping his foot on the ground.

"You can't kill Simon," She says with a laugh but quiets when the wolf barks and growls at her.

"Why not?" He asks her, condescendingly.

"Because he isn't as mundane or easy to find as you think," She says, her face forming a scowl.

The man just looks confused and questions hr, "What do you mean?"

"The cup is where you found me. A loose floor board in the floor of my old room. My mom hid a gold cup thing in there," She says, not knowing how much she should say about Simon.

"Put her in the cage, while we wait. If you're lying, you'll be the one ripped to shreds, and we will find your little mundane friend," The guy says and she is shoved behind red bars and left there.

She gives it five minutes before she starts rummaging through the lockers, finding nothing until the 7th when she finds a phone.

"Who to call...," She says and remembers her phone is in her bag and quickly dials the number.

"Hello?" Jace's voice says through the line and she quickly whispers out a reply.

"Jace? I'm with werewolves, they said they'll kill me if they don't find the cup at my place," She tells him and she has to start describing where she is before she lucks out, "I'm at the Jade wolf Chinese restaurant," She tells them and hangs up, not wanting to get caught on the phone.

* * *

She is pulled out of the cage not two minutes later and thrown into a shipping crate.

"What's going on?" She asks and right before they door is closed she hears something about the scouts finding something.

She tries to draw a rune on the crate wall but it is set in flames.

She is gasping on the ground when the doors are pulled open to reveal Luke.

"I've finally found you, Clary," Luke says and Clary goes into defense mode.

"You stay away from me," She says holding her stele out to him.

"Don't be afraid," Luke says holding his arms up, "I traced Alaric's car up to the pier when he wouldn't return my calls, I'm here to help, really!" He says, attempting to explain himself to her.

"I heard what you said at the precinct, you told those creeps at the precinct the last 18 years of your life was a lie."

"Those were Valentine's people!" He tells her, moving closer to her. "I said those things to protect her."

"Don't come closer! All you want is the Mortal Cup, like everyone else," She says with a sneer.

* * *

"Only a warlocks magic can cure an alpha's bite," Jace tells Clary, already knowing where they have to go.

"We have to get him to Magnus and Simon," Clary says, trying to go to Luke's side.

"That's exactly what we're going to do," Jace says, holding her face in one hand.


	5. When I start to throw out the book

Magnus swings open the doors to let Clary, Jace, and the deeply wounded man through.

"What happened?" He asks

"He was attacked, he needs a warlock," Clary says tugging Luke through the room just as a portal opens and Simon comes through that.

He drops the chest he is holding and rushes over, helping Clary put Luke on the couch.

"He needs a warlock," Clary cries out again, "He needs one of you," She says, tears falling down her face.

Luke is mumbling and when he comes to he tries to explain something to Clary when Simon asks if it is an alpha bite.

"Yes it was," Jace says from across the room.

Simon nods and looks to Magnus. "Go ahead Simon," Magnus says, telling Simon that he can be the one to do the work.

"Three, two, one...," Simon says, his hands hovering over Luke and Magnus rushes out of the room, while Simon holds him down.

"We don't have much time," Simon tells Clary, and to an extent Jace, as Magnus comes back with a small board of some sort, handing it to Simon, who sticks it into Luke's mouth.

"It will take a few moments to take effect," Magnus says, Luke hissing and grunting in pain, biting down on the thing in his mouth.

"What's happening?" Clary asks the two and Magnus answers.

"Random werewolf transformation. Side effect of an alpha bites poison."

Simon and Magnus get to work in the back as Jace and Clary watch over Luke.

Jace and Clary are hugging when Simon and Magnus rush back into the room, holding a cauldron and bottles.

"The bark is only a temporary fix to the transformation," Simon says, the two breaking off their hug.

"He needs an antidote, and I don't have the ingredients here," Magnus groans, setting all of the stuff down

"Tell us what you need and how we get it," Clary says, a firm nod.

"No, no, no, you are staying here. Luke is going to need someone he trusts if he wakes up." Magnus and Simon walk out to the terrace and back inside.

"I'll go," Jace says as Magnus lists what they need.

"Phoenix eyes, moon salt, and Idris folgerite," Simon says, carrying more jars over the the cauldron.

"Okay, I'm on it," Jace says, about to leave when Magnus calls out to him.

"One more thing, I need Alexander!"

"Why do you need Alec?" Jace questions what he plans to do to him

"Virgin Shadowhunter energy," Magnus answers a bit of a stutter in his voice.

"I can't," Jace says and Clary has to practically beg for him to get Alec as well.

"Trouble in paradise?" Magnus asks as walks by and Simon hits his arm.

Jace leaves and Clary starts questioning them both on what they are doing with the cauldron.

"It's a base for the potion," Magnus says as Simon stirs and he pours something into a small container.

Magnus pours the mixture that went from orange to bright white into the cauldron.

"We need to have this ready before your boy toy comes back," Magnus says and Simon grits his teeth, not liking how Jace and Clary's relationship has seemingly progressed.

"And if they don't get back in time?" Clary asks, crossing her arms.

"Don't think like that," Simon says and Clary sighs.

"It's the only way I can think, Simon I don't know if I can do this anymore," Clary says, leaning on the table, hanging her head. "I'm an art student, all my adventures are supposed to be two-dimensional," she says with a shake of her head.

"Who says?" Magnus asks her, grabbing leaves from the terrace.

"I do!" She shouts and hits the table, "It's one thing to draw monsters and demons, but it is completely different to see them up close and personal. I don't know what I'm doing."

"Don't sell yourself shirt," Magnus tells her as he takes over stirring the pot.

"Jocelyn," Luke starts mumbling again and Simon rushes over, kneeling beside him.

"Let me take the pain away," Simon says and Luke tries to say no, "Agitation is only making the venom work faster," Simon informs him.

"I need to tell Clary," Luke says gasping for breathe.

"No, save your strength," She tells him, holding his hand.

"No, you need to know, please," Luke says, holding her hand tightly.

"Do it, Simon," Clary says.

"Magnus needs to tell her all of it," Luke says and Simon nods, snapping his fingers, sparks flying and a glow going around it.

Simon moves his hand over Luke when his voice becomes distressed, "The poisons spreading, your suitor needs to hurry," He says, Luke grunting and moaning in pain.

Magnus hands off potion duty completely to Simon so he can tell Clary everything he has to.

Clary is drawing at the table as Magnus paces back and forth in front of her.

"When I first heard about your father, around the time he and Jocelyn first got together, long before the Uprising and the Circle, Valentine elevated the Morgenstern name - to be synonymous with virtue," Magnus says, taking a sip from his glass, "And your mother was at his side, but by the time my people came to know him, barely two years later," Magnus gets a haunted look in his eyes and Simon can feel himself remembering parts of the past he long wished forgot, "His name had become synonymous with devastation."

Magnus sighs, a remembrance of the past, "Your mother told me it was then she first saw the signs. They never found all the bodies," Magnus says and Simon remembers how the news ripped through the warlock community. To beware Valentine. "We'd all stood with the Clave for centuries," Magnus walks to look out the window.

"How could that not matter to him?" Clary asks.

Simon speaks up, "He was obsessed with ensuring purity of blood."

"Convinced that impurities were a threat to peace," Magnus continues bitterly.

"He was a threat to peace," Clary says through clenched teeth.

"Mad men rarely make sense, mostly, they just hate, and he hated the Downworlders, for the gifts that we possess that he could not have. He hated us enough to kill us all," Magnus says with a tone as if he was in those times again, which he very well may be.

Simon knows he escaped much of Valentine's rage, keeping to the shadows, staying hidden as a mundane. Doing his best to blend in, hiding who he was.

"Ever since my mother was kidnapped, and the Shadow World invaded my life, so many Downworlders have helped me, not even thinking about what it might cost them. How could Valentine not see good in any of them?" Clary asks sadly, thinking about how Simon has wasted years of his life just to protect her.

"He was blinded by ambition," Simon says, and Magnus nods in confirmation.

"Why didn't the Clave stop him?" Clary asks, getting angry.

"Oh, he was clever," Magnus says in mock fascination. "He and his followers, they managed to convince the Clave that the Downworlders they killed on their special missions had violated the Accords in some way."

"Completely fabricated, none of them did anything," Simon says, sneering as he adds a bottle of goop into the cauldron.

"How could the Clave not see?" She asks looking at her sketchbook.

"Shadowhunters believe in the Law as absolute. They could never conceive of one of their own going astray," Magnus spits the word conceive like it is poison in his mouth.

* * *

Alec comes running into the room where Magnus is working on Luke and gets to him just in time to catch him before he falls.

"Help me," Magnus says, "I need your strength."

Alec and him hold eye contact for a few seconds and he wraps his hand around Magnus'. "Take whatever you need," Alec says and Magnus tightens his grip and lurches them to get closer to Luke. Alec closes his eyes as Jace runs into the room.

"Do you have it?" Simon asks, and Jace tosses him the bag. Simon pours it all in and mixes furiously. He shoves the potion, now in a cup at Clary, "Go!"

Clary pours the shot glass of liquid into Luke's mouth and immediately he stops shaking and opens his eyes. Magnus closes his eyes, breathes in a sigh, and slumps onto Alec, exhausted.

"Hey, you okay?" Alec asks Magnus, who still is holding onto his hand.

Magnus shakes his head just slightly, "Yeah..."

* * *

"Let me spell it out for you," Magnus says, walking closer to Alec, "I wanted to see you again."

Alec lets out a light laugh and looks to the side, then back at Magnus, "Why?"

Magnus looks up into Alec's eyes, "Why'd you come?"

Alec shrugs one shoulder and shakes his head slightly, "I'm not sure."

Magnus looks at him with something, "For almost a century I've closed myself off to feeling anything for anyone. Man or woman," He says looking down, "You've unlocked something in me."

Alec opens his to reply but his phone rings and he walks past Magnus, who looks out the window with what could be described as a hopeful smile.

"Duty calls," Alec says as Magnus turns back around.

"Oh, the furrowed brow. Maryse must be recruiting you for something unseemly.," Magnus says, stepping close to Alec.

"Oh, listen, Magnus, I... I wish I could... I just I don't know what...," Alec is stopped from saying anymore by Magnus putting his finger in front of lips, not touching them.

"I understand," Magnus says and Alec gets a small smile on his face.

* * *

The next night, while the Shadowhunters search for the cup, Simon has something he needs to do. He has to thank a specific vampire. Simon smirks as he walks down the street, fixing his jacket. He knew where the vampire would be, getting blood from the blood vault. It isn't mundane blood, but animal. Still they have to get their supply from somewhere.

Intercept him there, and do what he needed to. Simon rakes a hand through his hair, still so happy to be back to himself. He spots Raphael coming out of the large building, ingeniously name Lifebloods (it fronts as a clinic), heading towards a freezer truck. Good for Simon, he is all alone. Simon comes up next to him.

"Hey," Simon says quietly, smiling when Raphael turns to him shocked.

"What are you doing near me?" Raphael says, hissing and baring his fangs. Simon guesses that it is an intimidation technique.

Simon waves his hand and laughs, "None of that."

Raphael scowls as Simon pulls him out of the light and into the shroud of darkness.

"What do you want?" Raphael hisses and Simon smiles at him, a slightly odd and quirky smile.

"I'm here to say thank you, for saving my life," Simon tells him and Raphael's scowl deepens.

"You're nobody, I did it for my clan," Raphael says and tries to leave.

"I'm also here to tell you, you now have a warlock in your corner,"Simon tells him and Raphael stops in his tracks. "You had to notice the cat eyes and the pointy ears," Simon says with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" Raphael asks him, turning around to look at him.

"Raphael Santiago, I now owe you a favor," Simon says and looks Raphael up and down, "Or two. Don't worry, not to toot my own horn but I am a good person to have in your corner," Simon says and he waves his hand and blue sparks and a puff shows up. "May I?" Simon asks and Raphael gives him a skeptical nod.

Simon touches Raphael's forehead and Raphael feels something shift. "A warlock promise and something else. If you need me just say my name," Simon says and opens a portal on the side of the hospital, "See you soon, hopefully," Simon says before stepping through and showing up in Magnus' apartment, leaving a stunned vampire in his wake.

* * *

It's the next night that Magnus is called in to help the Institute and Magnus makes it clear he is not going alone.

"Simon, only if you're sure of making yourself known," Magnus says, hesitating on making the portal to the Institute.

"Yes, I think a few centuries is enough time to prepare," Simon says with a laugh as he pulls on his jacket and hooks his earring on.

Magnus opens the portal and puts an arm around Simon's shoulder and laughs, "Just like old times," He says and walks them through.

They show up in the examination room where Izzy greets them with a large smile and a quick hug before she shoots off into an explanation on what exactly went down.

Simon lounges on the floor while Magnus checks out the body. Simon figures he'll help out later, with the perimeters.

"I've heard of Lydia before," Simon says, creating a ball to to bounce while he waits.

"Everyone has," Magnus says as he finishes up writing the report. "Maybe you should go meet up with her. Introduce yourself as my friend while I go give my reports to a certain someone," Magnus says shaking the report and smirking.

Simon shakes his head and follows Magnus up the steps. They part ways as Magnus heads to the training room and Simon heads to where Magnus said Lydia was staying.

Simon breathes in as he knocks and is told to come in.

"Hello, I've been told you are a friend of Magnus'," Lydia stands and puts her hand out to shake it. In pure Simon fashion he gives her hand a side ways high five and sits down.

"Simon Lewis," Simon says and gives her a smile.

"Simon, may I ask a few questions, so we may start a file on you?" Lydia asks and she clarifies," For protection of course."

"Of course," Simon says with a nod. "I won't answer anything I don't want to."

Lydia nods and pulls out a folder. "Simon Lewis, what kind of Downworlder are you?" She asks and he smiles.

"Warlock," Simon answers easily.

"What year were you born and where?" Lydia asks the second question, quirking her eyebrow.

"Trying to get a read on how powerful I am?" Simon asks, mirroring her look, "I won't answer that question, but I will say, Magnus and I are at least the same age," Simon says, making sure he doesn't play all his cards.

Alec comes in, stopping their discussion. Simon is excused and he bids goodbye to the two, going off to find Magnus.

_'Simon'_

His name goes through his mind in Raphael's voice and he has just reached Magnus when it happens.

"Mag," He says, tapping the warlock on the shoulder. "I'll be back, I have business to attend to," He tells him and waits for Magnus' response.

"Already back to it I see," Magnus says with a smirk and gives him a nod, "Be back soon," Magnus says, turning his attention back to revamping the perimeters.

Simon nods at him and he leaves the Institute through a portal, straight to the Hotel DuMort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and kudos my lovelies! I am already finished writing this so no worries about it becoming abandoned :3 kisses


	6. The start of what we can call sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Saphael time

As soon as he comes through he is greeted with Raphael pacing in the room. "You called?" Simon asks, making his presence known.

Raphael looks at him and nods, "I need that favour," Raphael says through gritted teeth.

"At your service," Simon says bowing as he laughs, "What do you need exactly?"

Raphael hits the wall, "I need Camille out," He says and Simon raises an eyebrow. "She is going to get my clan killed by the Clave," Raphael explains.

"What do you need me to do?" Simon asks, getting into business mode.

"Get Camille in so much trouble with the Clave not even she can slip past," Raphael explains to him.

Simon smirks, "This may be a favour, but I wouldn't be a warlock if I didn't ask for something in return," he says walking closer to Raphael.

Raphael sighs, "Are going to get rid of Camille?"

Simon nods, "Then what do you want?"

"Nothing big, this is, after all, a favour," Simon says.

"Warlocks always know what they want," Raphael says, "What is it?"

Simon smirks and walks up, close enough where Raphael can feel his breath. He leans down to where his mouth is level with Raphael's ear.

"I need your blood," Simon whispers.

"How much?" Raphael asks, not wanting to question the strange request.

"Just a vial," Simon says, "I'll get when Camille is in the Clave's possession."

Simon goes back to the wall to open a portal back to the Institute and a hand stops him, he turns his head to look at Raphael. "I'm sorry, downworlder to downworlder," Raphael says, his eyes softening and Simon just nods.

* * *

Simon comes back to chaos. Izzy has been arrested, Alec is getting married, and Jace and Clary are missing. The first thing Simon does is pull Magnus into an empty hallway.

"He is to be married," Magnus says, a sad smile on his face.

"Mag...," Simon says and just pulls Magnus into a hug.

"Just, distract me," Magnus says, and it is definitely a plea for help.

"If you'd love to know, I promised a vampire a favour," Simon says and Magnus pulls back, shock evident on his face.

"Who?" Magnus asks, warlock favours are not given out with a light hand.

"Raphael, he saved me when he thought I was nothing but mundane," Simon tells him and Magnus nods. "He called on me, needs me to get Camille in trouble," Simon says with a shrug.

Magnus just laughs and wipes his eye.

* * *

Simon continues to visit Raphael. Everyday, just at sunset, to meet him.

"So, Raphael," Simon says looking over his shoulder, "Have you ever seen the show The Vampire Diaries? Because can I just say they have some very odd ideas on vampire," He says, pulling up a chair, "They think a plant could kill a vampire," Simon laughs and Raphael huffs, (Simon totally knows it's a laugh), "I bet it's all a trick to throw mundanes off of our Shadow World scent," Simon finishes as Raphael stands and tucks the papers away.

"Do you ever shut up?" Raphael asks him.

Simon just shakes his head, "Not for my entire life, you're kind of stuck with me," He says, following Raphael through the Hotel, ignoring the odd looks he receives from the other vampires.

Or the next day,

Simon is following Raphael as he goes to retrieve his breakfast, "So, I think, that all shows on vampires are purely to throw mundanes off the scent. Hell, all shows about the supernatural, I mean where does a myth that vampires can't see their reflection come from?" Simon asks rhetorically as Raphael sighs, "You're so damn hot of course you need a mirror," Simon says and only when Raphael smirks and raises an eyebrow does he realize what he said.

"I'm hot?" Raphael asks smugly.

"All vampires are, for the most part, is what I meant. You're all so hot...," Simon says, he has been around for centuries and he still completely fucks up sentences around attractive people at times.

"Of course," Raphael says with a laugh.

Or the day after that,

It was Raphael who was following Simon this time, making sure he didn't cause any trouble with the other vampires when Simon went into one of his rambles.

"According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly," Simon starts and Raphael is highly confused as to why he is suddenly bringing up bees. "Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground," Now Raphael is wondering what is wrong with the warlock. Simon turns suddenly, "The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible."

Raphael looks at him in confusion and annoyance, "Are you calling me a bee or something? Simon, I have work to do," Raphael says and Simon's face morphs into a shocked one.

"You've never seen the Bee Movie?" Simon asks, holding his chest.

Raphael shakes his head, "No."

"Clear your schedule!" Simon announces and grabs his arm, "You're coming to my place!"

* * *

Simon is dealing with a moping Magnus for the last few days. After Magnus had tried to save Izzy from being stripped of his runes and exiled, he and Alec had a complete fall out. Apparently Alec was convinced that marrying Lydia was the right thing to do. And he had thrown a knife into Magnus' heart by doing so.

It's a few hours after Magnus left, saying he had to help find the warlock that made the potion for Jocelyn, he invites Simon, but he declined. He had to talk to some Shadowhunters about a certain vampire who has been breaking the Accords.

"You are certain Camille Belcourt had human blood and humans stashed in the Hotel DuMort?" Lydia asks skeptically after he finishes explaining his time at the Hotel.

"Certain," Simon says, "After she drained me enough where I was woozy, she opened a picture, dozens of human blood bags."

"She drank your blood? Warlock blood?" Lydia asks quickly.

"Yeah," Simon laughs, "Does weird things to them. Raphael Santiago, her second in command saved me. He told me he was doing it for the good of the Shadow World," Simon tells Lydia sincerely, he might as well give Raphael a push to the leadership seat.

"A full investigation will be ran, thank you Simon Lewis," Lydia says closing the crisp new folder, "The Shadowhunters will not forget this."

Simon seriously doubts that it's true, Shadowhunters forget a lot. Simon nods and he portals back to his and Magnus' home.

He is there before Magnus portals in gasping, tears in his eyes.

"Fell's dead," Is all he says and collapses onto Simon with a cry.

* * *

Simon feels horrible, Magnus forced him to go to the wedding. Saying one of them had to be there. He greets Clary happily, and still feels elated that Jace and her are brother and sister. His heart aches as he sits down for the ceremony. Magnus doesn't deserve such a thing, so long without feeling such love, to have it thrown in his face.

Simon sits blankly through the ceremony, it isn't until he hears the doors bang and feels Magnus that he turns in surprise with all of the other patrons. He barely pays attention the front of the room as Alec tells Lydia he is sorry. He commends Alec for the way he brushes off his mother.

Alec grabs Magnus by the lapels and pulls him in. Simon has to say, Alec has flair. Simon watches on, a smile on his face as Magnus finally gets something he deserves.

Simon goes up, rambling about The Graduation and Alec rolls his eyes saying something about who invited him. Simon goes off, having to collect his other clothes before he heads off, he has a few things he needs to do.

Simon is just about to leave when Magnus comes up to him, "Simon, I need your help," He says and Simon is all ears.

"Anything, Mag," Simon replies.

"The Book of White, we know who has it," Magnus says, his voice edging towards something Simon hopes he doesn't regret already agreeing.

"Where at?"

"The Hotel DuMort, Camille is the owner," Magnus answers, his eyes on the ground.

"And because if my ties to it, you need me to get her," Simon says, clear that it isn't a quaetion.

Magnus nods, "I can't face her, Simon."

Simon knows he is going to agree when Magnus looks at him, hatred and anger at what happened 130 years ago, "I'll talk to Raphael," Simon promises, "I have business there anyway."

Magnus smirks, "Going to see your new object of fascination?"

Simon blushes and glares, "Give me a break, it's been like 30 years and probably more," Simon says with a laugh as he opens a portal.

* * *

Raphael greets him and hands him a vial of dark red, almost black liquid.

"Payment, in full," Raphael says, "I'm nothing if not honourable."

Simon sighs, "I hate to ask," He says, crowding into Raphael's space. "But I need Camille."

"Why?" Raphael asks, fangs protruding out.

"She has a book,a warlock book, it's the key to whether or not the Shadow World is going to be safe for much longer," Simon says, looking into Raphael's eyes.

"Are you certain?" Raphael asks, and it is the first time Simon has heard his voice shake.

Simon nods, reaching his hand up to Raphael's face. His thumb slides along Raphael's cheekbone. "I am," Simon whispers.

"You promise to protect my clan?" Raphael asks, smirking, , "You still owe me one more favour,"

Simon half smiles and cups Raphael's jaw, "If you let me take her, I will forever be indebted to you," Simon whispers, slowly moving closer to Raphael's face.

"A warlock, forever in my corner?" Raphael asks, moving centimeters close himself.

"We'll see," Simon says, almost inaudible and he pulls Raphael closer, bringing their lips to meet.

* * *

"Yeah," Simon says into the phone, "I'm going to bring the body through the portal to the Institute and we can deal with her there," sighing he listens to Magnus telling him where to go.

"Bring her to me and you and I can cast wards around her cell so she can't even try to escape," Magnus says, and Simon hears Alec say something in the background.

"Of course," Simon says, following Raphael and Lily down to where they were keeping Camille.

He hung up the phone as they stood outside the room that held her.

"Don't worry," Simon tells them as he opens the doors, "We won't be unlocking to casket until it is safely in a cell, Magnus Bane's and I wards and spells tight on it," He assures them as he walks in, the two vampires following him, the guard vampires ignoring them.

Raphael grabs his arm as he attempts to lay a hand on the casket, "Be careful, she has it out for the warlock's blood she drank," Raphael warns and Simon nods.

Simon does the spell to levitate Camille's casket off the ground and opens the portal on the wall. "Camille won't be coming back," Simon informs them, "She is wanted by the Clave for breaking the Accords," He says pulling the casket closer, "I suggest you find someone to, you know, take her place," He finishes and lays a hand on the casket as he walks through.

He is immediately grabbed by Magnus, who just drags him and the casket to the cell. Magnus holds onto Simon's elbow as the casket floats behind them. When they do reach the cell, Simon maneuvers the casket inside and shuts the door.

"How are we going to get her to give us the Book?" Clary asks, shocking them both.

"We are warlocks, Clary," Simon says, as if she had forgotten he was a powerful warlock along with Magnus.

Clary looks guilty at the fact she forgot, "Sorry, should I leave when you do it?" She asks and both of them nod. Clary shuts the door to the room as she leaves.

"Valentine has the cup," Magnus says, and Simon's head hits the bars of the cell.

"You mean...," Simon says trailing off and Magnus just nods slowly, his face showing a sad grimace.

"All the more reason to find the book," Simon says, places a ward around the cell. No vampires in or out.

"Simon," Magnus starts but Simon holds up a hand.

"I fled the last time, to protect myself," Simon explains, his voice shaking, "This time, I have other things that need protecting as well, the war is about all of us now, more than ever." Simon walks to the door, locking it. "I have something to fight for, and I've never been brave, I've been in hiding my whole life," Simon tells Magnus as he sighs and looks to the casket, "I'm done."

Magnus smiles at him and nods, "Let's wake her up," he says and unlocks the chains on the casket and lifting the lid, his hands glowing blue.

Camille lifts up on one arm, a smirk playing on her face. "Magnus, my savior," She says, her voice slow, and drawn out.

Magnus' face hardens, his jaw clenches as Camille climbs out of the casket. "And you," She says, sending a glare Simon's way.

"Camille, where is the Book of White?" Magnus asks, his voice hollow.

"The book of what?" Camille asks, an eyebrow rising in mock confusion.

"The Book of White, big, white, warlock spell book," Simon explains, angry she is playing this off.

Camille laughs and looks to Magnus, "Darling what would I possibly want with a spell book?"

Simon glares at her, "We don't have time for this," He sighs, "We'll find it ourselves, then, lock her back in," He tells Magnus and Magnus' hand start to glow blue when Camille tells him to stop.

"You said it was a warlock book?" Camille asks them and they both nod.

"We think Jocelyn Fairchild gave it to you," Simon tells her and she scoffs.

"Don't recall her coming in," Camille says with a shrug and this time Simon's hands glow.

"What about Dorothea Rollins?" Magnus asks, recalling the late warlock.

"Oh, Dot. She was our most favourite customer,:" Camille says walking up to the bars of the cell, right in front of Magnus.

"Where is it?" Magnus asks, looking Camille right in the eyes.

"It's in my apartment on the Upper East Side," She tells them, twirling her hair.

"Where is that?" Simon asks her harshly.

"Please, you think I'll tell you and not get anything in return?" She asks with a light scoff.

"Fine," Simon tells her, "Instead of letting the Clave burn you to a crisp, I'll see if I can persuade them to just throw you in a cell in Idris," Simon tells her, a fake smile painted on his face.

Camille hisses at him, teeth bared, "The Clave has nothing on me," She hisses angrily.

"Except the fact and proof pointing to the fact that you had mundanes around for snacks, and human blood hidden," Simon says, his turn to smirk and scoff.

Camille rattles off the address and warns them she has guards, "It's in one of the many libraries, you should probably search fast," She says, mock concern, a hand over her non-beating heart.

"What do you want for the exact room?" Simon asks her.

"Nothing," She says, taking hold of the bars, "Because I don't know which one. Dot hid it, which meant I didn't know where," She says as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

Simon glares and unlocks the door, "I'll inform Clary so we can get ready," He says and leaves the room.

Magnus turns, prepared to leave the room when Camille says, "Magnus," Her tone slow, a seductive quality to it.

"What Camille?" Magnus asks, hands clenched at his side, as he goes up to the bars.

"You're still upset by my dalliance with that short-lived Russian?" She asks him, a finger going through the bars to touch his chest.

"No, I gave up feeling anything for you over a century ago," Magnus says, brushing her finger off.

"Love is fleeting. Even more so when you're immortal," She says, moving her head, side to side.

"And yet true love cannot die," Magnus says, with a wave of his hand.

"But people can," She tells him, moving impossibly closer to the bars.

"People are more than just toys for your amusement," Magnus says, eyes hooded in the dim lit room.

"Hundreds of years old and still so naive," Camille says and Magnus smirks, "You wouldn't know what to do with love if you found it. Or do you think you already have?" Camille says, gauging Magnus' reaction.

She looks at the cracked door, hearing voices coming closer and smirks, "Angel blood," she mutter, grabbing Magnus' face through the bars and kissing him.

Magnus flings her back towards the casket, not knowing the people at the door saw the encounter until he looks to see a semi-shocked Alec and Izzy.

Magnus turns and glances at the once again locked casket and walks to the siblings.

"Where is the book?" Is all Alec says and Magnus hopes he isn't upset.

"Camille told us it's location," Magnus says, the three leaving the room locked behind them.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment! Let me know if you have any guesses of what is to come


	7. It'll be okay. Will it be okay?

A lot goes down at Camille's residence. They are ambushed by Valentine's people, Jace leaves with him. Valentine vowing that Clary and Jocelyn would join him eventually. Valentine sends harsh looks to Simon and Magnus, and the man holding Simon presses the sword dangerously close to his neck. It all happens quickly and before he knows it they are back at the Institute.

Clary is crying over her mother, Alec and Magnus left somewhere, Izzy is trying to console Clary, and Simon doesn't know what to do with himself. Which he admits is usually the case, but everyone is doing something and feeling and all he can wonder is what happens next.

The moment after that thought his phone rings, startling him out of his own thoughts, _Raphael?_

Simon answers and Raphael starts talking right away, "Simon, we need your help," It's rushed and Simon almost doesn't understand.

"What's happening?" Simon asks, already pulling on his jacket.

"All my scouts were attacked, some are too badly injured to heal properly, whatever Valentine's men did the them...," Raphael trails off and Simon assures him he will be there soon.

Simon mumbles out a string of apologies as he creates a portal, telling them he has to help a friend. Simon sees Clary's distraught face, but he knows she would understand if she was in the same position.

* * *

Magnus pulls Alec into a side hall, "I know you don't want to hear it, so I'll just say it once. Trust me, there is no lost love between Camille and I, ancient history," Magnus says, taking Alec's hand in his.

He can tell Alec is worried, "Yeah, but what she said about you being immortal she's right." He tells Magnus, cupping his face. "You have to watch the people you care about age and die," Alec says, a dejected look on his face.

"Alexander I may be the High Warlock of Brooklyn, but even I can't see the future," Magnus tells him, trying to reassure his lover.

Alec just nods, leaning down to give him a kiss when Izzy turns her head around the corner, "They're ready," she says, looking apologetic as she realizes what she interrupted.

* * *

Simon, once again, walks into chaos. He is no vampire but he can smell the blood in the air as soon as he steps out of the portal.

Dozens of vampire laying on the ground, all the medical beds taken up. Simon spots Raphael right away, he is hooking up one of the less injured vampires to blood, presumably to help him heal.

Simon goes up to him, "Show me the most injured," Simon demands, all his awkwardness gone in the throws of life or undeath and death.

Raphael nods, taking him a bit further into the room, where vampires are unconscious, some missing limbs, the beds soaked in dark vampire blood. Simon pulls a chair over to the vampire with a chuck of his shoulder missing, he is shaking slightly, and he knows he has to work fast.

He's happy he didn't use much magic in the day, knowing he needs all that he can get to help as many vampires as he can. He does a scan first, each time he goes to a new patient. The first two have nothing out of the ordinary except excessive damages, which Simon does his best to patch up, letting their accelerated healing do the rest. The next four however, seem to have been poisoned, his guess is through a holy water mixture.

It's a few hours later, when Simon collapses while healing up a weak vampires arm. Raphael grabs his arm before he hits the ground and carries him to the lounge, laying him on a chair. The vampires that either weren't in the fight or have already healed are watching him as he tries to wake Simon up.

"What's wrong with him?" Asks Margo, a younger vampire.

"He used so much magic that it sent him into exhaustion," Raphael explains, checking Simon's breathing and eyes. His eyes, which are hastily changing from yellow to blue and back again. The cat eye pupils becoming thinner and thicker. " _Idiota,_ " Raphael mumbles turning away.

"Go make sure any healed vampire gets as much blood to drink as they need, we've already lost 3 members to this attack, we can't lose more," Raphael says to the Clan.

The vampires clear out and Raphael decides he needs to take the warlock to Magnus. Who is at the Institute, Raphael mentally curses but picks Simon back up and runs through the night.

* * *

Raphael is met with a lovely welcome and warm drinks. Except it goes more like he is threatened.

"Who are you?" Clary yells, "We know you got through the wards," Alec adds.

Raphael walks out from behind the tree he got behind for protection. "Our dear warlock friend has used up too much magic," Raphael tells them.

"Can you let me in so I can put him down?" Raphael snaps after Clary comes to check on Simon. Clary just swallows and nods.

He ends up laying Simon in one of the Institute's medical wing beds.

"What happened?" Magnus asks, coming in with a group of people behind him. Namely Alec, Izzy, Clary, Luke, and Jocelyn.

Raphael makes sure to address only Magnus, "He was healing injured vampires," He tells Magnus, who is already next to Simon. "Valentine attacked my scouts, some weren't healing how they should have been," Raphael says, finally turning to the rest of the people.

Magnus looks at Simon, his blood soaked clothes, and pale skin, fingers sparking with blue every so often. "Do you know how many he healed?" He asks, wondering how Simon was in such a dangerous state.

"Maybe 20 something," Raphael answer, rubbing his forehead and Magnus' eyes go wide.

Clary gets a scared look on her face when she sees Magnus' reaction, "How bad is it?" She asks, taking a small step towards Simon, laying a hand on his arm.

Magnus let's out a harsh sigh, his lips pursing. "Let's all talk in the hallway, leave Simon to replenish, without so much noise," Magnus says, sounding resigned and the group, all but Raphael follow him out.

It's Izzy who breaks the silence once they close the door, "What's with all the cryptic BS?" She asks Magnus.

"Simon healed 20 plus vampires," Magnus says, and Izzy mutters that they all heard too, "You don't get it," Magnus says, waving his hands up.

"Get what?" Alec asks him, a raised eyebrow looking in his direction.

"What exactly that number means," Magnus says, "Healing takes a bit out of a warlock, we are essentially stitching someone's very body back together with magic. It's tedious and draining," Magnus explains.

"So what does it mean?" Clary asks, her voice soaked in worry.

"Simon may not seem like it but he is very...," Magnus trails off, seemingly trying to find the right word.

"Very what?" Izzy asks, stomping her foot.

"He's always been a very secretive person," Magnus says, "Do any of you know his age? Where he was born? How old he is immortally stuck at?" Magnus asks them all and he sees all but Jocelyn look around guiltily.

"He can't be that old," Izzy says, "The Clave has no record of him until now."

Hums of agreement ripple through the group until Alec's face twitches in realization, "Wait, Lydia told m the other day that Simon wouldn't answer any questions of his origin, except the fact he and Magnus were _at least_ the same age," Alec tells the group.

"Ding, ding, ding," Magnus says, "I pick smart ones," He says with a laugh before turning serious again. "Age doesn't determine exactly how powerful a warlock is, that's how strong the demon parent is. But age does play into it," Magnus says, still skirting around what he is trying to say.

"The more powerful the demon, the more powerful the warlock?" Clary asks and Magnus nods.

"As well as the fact, the older the warlock gets, the stronger they get if they have a particularly powerful demon parent," Magnus explains, trying to get them to understand.

"A new warlock can barely heal a broken leg," Magnus says, "What does that say about Simon healing 20 some vampires in critical condition?" Magnus says, walking back into the room, to see how his friend is doing.

Izzy huffed, "He barely told us anything."

"He told us that Simon is more powerful than we thought," Alec tells her.

"I guess I was right, Simon is the warlock rumored to match Magnus in power," She says with a shrug.

* * *

Raphael jerks awake when he hears a cough from the bed and sees Simon sitting up. Magnus had left a few minutes ago, something about a cocktail waiting for him.

"Raphael?" Simon asks looking at him though half shut eyes.

"The one and only," He says in reply, "How do you feel?" Raphael asks, trying to sound as professional as possible.

"A little tired but other than that, relatively fine," Simon answers, swinging his legs over the bed, "Really hungry, what happened?" He asks as he gets out of the bed and Raphael almost yells at him to lay back down, but his breathing and heartbeat are normal.

"You were working on one of the injured vampires when you collapsed, dead weight," Raphael answers him, surprised he doesn't remember.

Simon blushed and rakes a hand through his hair, "Maybe too much magic use," He says, trying to get Raphael to laugh, which only elicits a glare.

"You think?" Raphael asks, and Simon almost answers. "Magus said you would need to eat," Raphael tells him, standing up, "The sun is up, so I need to get back to the Hotel."

Simon nods, "Need a portal?" He asks, moving to the wall.

"Magnus said he would do it for me," Raphael says, "You passed out from magical exhaustion less than two hours ago."

Simon just shrugs, pulling on his shoes, "Another shirt ruined, well you're right about the needing to eat part. I am probably going to go get food at a diner if possible with all Valentine's people roaming about," Simon says.

"You'll probably be stuck eating food here," Raphael says with a laugh as they exit the medical room and are surrounded by Simon's friends, and somewhat friends (read: Alec).

After a few minutes of making sure he's fine, Raphael takes his leave, a hug from Simon, and a hair ruffle from Magnus. Simon forces them to order food, saying they all need a break considering the world is going to actually on the brink of ending, the Shadow World at least.

"Simon?" Izzy asks, while Alec and Magnus go get the food, and Clary, Luke, and Jocelyn are discussing Valentine.

"Yeah, Izzy?" Simon says, looking at her expectantly.

"Magnus told us how impressive it is that you healed over 20 critically injured vampires," She tells him, trying to figure out how to say what she wants to.

Simon shakes his head, "It's not that impressive," He tells her, trying to brush it off.

"It's fine, Simon, I understand you don't want the Clave to know," She says, and he believes her.

"The Clave and Valentine have a habit of pining things on powerful people," Simon tells her and she just nods.

"One question?" She asks, hoping to learn at least one thing about him.

"Shoot," He tells her, snapping his fingers in her direction with a nervous laugh.

"How old are you?" She asks him, in true wonder.

Simon looks around to make sure no one is listening, "I'll say one thing, 13th century," He says and walks off to where Magnus ans Alec just portalled in with bags of food.

Izzy's eyes widen as she follows behind him. He really is older than she ever would have guessed.

* * *

Raphael trudges to his room, exhausted, the sun is up, meaning he should be asleep. Instead he is stopped by Stan, one of the vampires who was close to dying the night morning (or night) before.

"How is he?" Stan asks him, stopping him right outside of his door.

Raphael gives him a smile, "Up and moving, he should be totally fine now," Raphael informs him and Stan nods.

"I'll thank him in person next time he's here," Stan says and heads off, presumably to go to sleep as well.

Raphael raises and eyebrow, Stan has never said thank you to anyone, he thinks as he goes into his room and gets out of his dirty, blood covered suit. When he is finally in his casket, he lets himself wonder just why Simon didn't stop healing vampires. He had to have known he was getting weaker.

Raphael drifts into sleep, dreams of a mysterious warlock, who had more secrets than Raphael could imagine.

* * *

Simon had come to the conclusion that when you found another immortal that you could trust, you held on tight and didn't let go, a long time ago. So far, the only one worth that was Magnus. Yet Raphael had stayed out of the Hotel passed sunrise, just to make sure he was okay.

Sighing Simon fell back onto the bed he was using in Magnus' apartment. The same Magnus who had tittered out happily not even hours after they had gotten back. Something about a hot date with a certain Shadowhunter.

"I just don't know," Simon says aloud to himself. "It's been forever since I've truly risked anything." He thinks back to Magnus telling him what Alec had said.

"It's true, what have I ever done?" He asks himself, "Sure you've done some good, but how many people have you seen die?"

Simon can feel himself falling into the pit that made him flee into hiding the last time. It makes him feel weak, to know that despite how long he has been around he can still feel hopeless.

Years of living so many lives not teaching him how to escape the feeling of drowning in loneliness and worthlessness. The fact that he had so much power and what did he do?

"Nothing," Simon answered his own question. "Stop, Simon," He tells himself, sitting up, resting his head in his hands. "You promised Magnus this was your fight too."

Simon takes a deep breath in and out, "You're fine," He tells himself, "You're fine."

Simon turns to look out the window, seeing that night has come again. He looks out and all he can see is all the Downworlders who are at risk now that Valentine has the cup.

"I bet the Clave isn't even telling them that Valentine is back," Simon spits out in anger.

A voice inside of him nags at the back of his mind, and asks, _'You_? _Help people? When?_ '

Simon grimaces, "Stop, I do help people," He says out loud, standing up and going right to the window.

' _Oh but tell me Simon, when? When have you put your life on the line for someone else_ ' The voice says and Simon feels like his mind is being wrapped in think blanket of darkness, tears prickling in his eyes.

Simon chokes on air as places his hands on the glass for support. Simon focuses on the faces of his friends, Magnus, Clary, Izzy, Raphael, even Alec. Focuses on the fact that he has done good, that he has helped protect Clary, hiding her angel blood scent her whole life.

Simon feels the angry presence slip away in his head, feeling lighter, no longer being suffocated in darkness. Simon creates a portal, hands still on the glass, and falls through.


	8. In preperation for a death striken day

* * *

Simon appears at the Hotel DuMort as vampires are just waking for the start of the (their) day. While he has spent a lot of time in the Hotel as of late, he hasn't exactly befriended the people, so it shocks him when one by one the vampires come up to him.

The first first is a muscular vampire, Simon recognizes him as the third person he worked on yesterday. "Hi, I'm Stan," The man says, holding a hand out to Simon, and he gives it a shake, "I just wanna say thank you," The vampire says.

Simon stammers for a second, "Uh. For what?" He asks and the vampire suddenly looks less sure about what he's doing.

"For saving my life," Stan says, rubbing his neck.

"Oh," Simon says, realizing now, "It's no problem at all," He says, a large smile on his face.

"It is," This time it's Lily, dressed to impress, a cup of blood already in her hand, "Everyone heard about your collapse," she informs him, and his cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Yeah," Stan says, "Just thanks, man," He says, slapping him on the shoulder before the other vampire's murmur thanks and disperse.

Feeling a bit better about the night, he follows the steps up to Raphael's room. He puts his ear up to the door, to make sure he won't be waking Raphael up. Hearing shuffling he knocks on the door.

"Come in," Raphael says and Simon lets himself in, as per the instructions.

"Simon," Raphael says, smirking his way. "What brings you to my fine establishment?" Raphael says, scanning him up and down, must be checking his vitals.

"Business," Simon tells him with a shrug, "You know considering that the Clave knows Valentine is back and has the Mortal Cup and all." Simon frowns, walking over to sit on the desk Raphael is working at.

"How does this concern us?" Raphael asks him, "What the Clave does is of no interest to me."

"I need you to alert the other clans, any you have ties to," Simon says earnestly, "We know the Clave," a sigh, "We know they won't be in any rush to tell the Downworlders of his return."

Raphael stops writing, and breathes an unnecessary sigh, "Of course, I'll send people right away," Raphael tells him, sliding off the chair.

"Thank you," Simon tells him, "I'll have Magnus send word to any warlocks."

Raphael looks at him, something inquisitive in his eye, "Do you have a way to reach the other Downworlders?"

Simon shakes his head, "No, but the news will spread fast," Simon tells him.

"Of course it will," Raphael smirks, "Anything else?"

"I'm advising you to make alliances quickly," He answers, hopping off the desk and walking to Raphael. "And if you need me just call," Simon whispers and he can feel Raphael's smirk.

Simon leans in slightly, giving Raphael a quick peck on the lips before portalling out quickly, shouting that he had work to do.

* * *

"So...," Magnus drawls, sitting on one of the hard Institutes chairs with a cocktail in hand. "Are you two a thing?" He asks confused and Simon huffs.

"I don't know," Simon answers, "Should I even be worrying about it considering there is a war coming?"

Magnus shrugs, as if Simon isn't going through a crisis, "Eh, Alec and I are," He answers, his eyes going soft.

The sound of heels clicking on the floor is heard and Izzy walks up to them, Alec, Clary, and Luke following. "Everyone knows that Magnus," Izzy says rolling her eyes and giving Simon a big smile.

"Where is Jocelyn?" Simon asks them, noticing the woman's absence.

Luke is the one to answer, "Resting, she gave us some information on Valentine that could be helpful," He says, moving on to more important topics.

"Which is?" Magnus asks after Luke doesn't say anything more.

"Jocelyn said that there is one thing that Valentine doesn't know and something he is vulnerable to," Izzy explains, pulling up photos of Valentine on the large screen.

"What are they?" Simon is the one to ask curiosity spiking. Anything to get an upper hand on the man that has the Mortal Cup.

"Valentine is vulnerable to family, he has Jace, but remember, he said he wanted Clary and Jocelyn to join him," Alec answers, drawing a red line between the three mentioned people photos.

"And the thing he doesn't know?" Magnus asks expectantly and his boyfriend's face blossoms into an airy smile.

"The fact that we have a powerful weapon in our line of defense," Luke says smugly, happy they may actually have a chance at winning this fight.

"Okay, why are we being cryptic?" Simon asks, felling his eyes shift from yellow to red.

Clary sighs, "Valentine doesn't know we have you, Simon," Clary says, as if she didn't want it to come to this.

"Why would that matter?" Simon asks and the group becomes quiet. Simon turns his gaze to Magnus, left ear twitching.

"I didn't tell them anything," Magnus insists, holding his hands up in defense.

"Simon, we know you're powerful then you act," Luke says, father tone coming out, "No one is angry, we just need you to promise, if need be, you will show your full potential," Luke asks of him and damn does Simon feel like he's a kid again, people looking at him in fear because of his power.

Simon's gaze goes to the floor, his mind trying to push away memories of centuries ago, "Anything to protect the Shadow world," Simon tells them all, and they all breathe a collective sigh in relief.

"So, do we have a plan?" Magnus asks them and Simon silently thanks him for changing the subject.

"Of course we do," Alec tells him, resting his hand on his lovers shoulder.

"We aren't going to do any good luring Valentine out," Izzy starts, writing on the computer, "So instead we go to him, I'm not sure how believable Clary can be in being evil but she has to try and act like she wants what he wants," Izzy says looking right at Clary.

"I can do it," She nods in determination, "I'll just spout something about needing to know that the world is safe and that it isn't with Downworlders," She says, waving her hand like it will be a peace of cake.

"We can't take Valentine down without the Mortal Cup," Izzy says, dragging a picture of the Mortal cup up.

"How do we even get it?" Simon asks her.

"Once we know it's location it'll be easy." Izzy smiles brightly and Magnus groans.

"What do the warlocks need to do?" Magnus asks her, knowing this will need to involve magic.

"I'm glad you agree to help," Izzy says, circling the Mortal cup photo now, "You see, since warlocks can levitate and teleport objects, we just need to get you guys close enough to do it," She tells them.

"Can magic even work on the cup?" Simon asks, wondering just how this could work.

"We don't know," Clary says with a grimace and Magnus swallows hard.

"But," Alec interjects, at seeing Magnus' face. "Even if you can' teleport the Cup itself, you can probably teleport anything touching it."

Simon nods along with Magnus, "Yeah, that's true, as long as we use more power to make sure the Cup itself comes along," Simon says, getting a bit of hope that they are going to be able to pull this off.

"So while Clary is distracting Valentine, you two get the Cup,"Alec tells them and they nod.

"Remember," Luke says, "This isn't a fight where we arrest anyone. We fight to kill, as much as I hate to say that," Luke tells them all.

Clary looks solemn at the news, knowing it will probably come to rest on her shoulders to kill Valentine. Her face becomes cold, "Not a problem, he was never a father," She says, her tone as hard as steel and as cold as ice.

"When exactly are we doing this?" Magnus questions.

"Two days," Alec answers has face falling as Magnus gulps the rest of his cocktail down.

"So we can be sure of Valentine's location," Izzy says and gives Alec a look, and the boy sighs.

"We could use the bond between Jace and I, but it's weak, and he'll know we're looking for him," Alec tells the group and Magnus is on his feet in record time.

"Then you don't do it," Magnus tells him, looking up at Alec.

Alec's face softens and he just nods and whispers okay. "Meet back here, two days, 8 PM sharp, it's when we'll head out," Izzy tells them, "For now, I have work finding people to fight with us."

"I can get some of the vampires," Simon tells her before everyone disperses.

"The werewolves are already in," Luke says to her.

"I'll talk to Meliorn," Izzy says quietly, "See if some of the fae will switch sides," She says ad will that she walks off.

Simon sits in the chair as Clary and Luke make their leave, going to see Jocelyn. Magnus and Alec are tucked closely on the couch, hands intertwined. Simon stands up, "You guys can have the apartment for the next two days," Simon tells them, not wanting to outright say that these might be some of their last days.

"Thank you, Simon," Magnus tells him as he gives his life long friend a smile, "I'm going to talk with Jocelyn and then go see a friend," He says, taking his leave from the two lovers.

He walks to the room that was dubbed as Jocelyn's. He hasn't even talked to Jocelyn since she woke up, everyone being so distracted, trying to find out how to save the entirety of the Shadow World. Simon knocks and Luke opens the door, apparently he understands because he tells Clary to give him some time with Jocelyn.

Simon closes the door as the two leave and he sits in the chair next to where Jocelyn in sitting on the bed.

"I'm happy you came to visit, Simon," She tells him, leaning in to give him a hug.

"So am I," Simon says, "I want to apologize to you," He tells her, eyes cast on the floor, centuries old and still mothers make him feel like a teenager again.

"For what?" She asks, confusion written clear on her face.

"For letting you down," Simon tells her, "Clary was thrown into the Shadow World and I couldn't stop it," He says, not understanding why she doesn't see it.

"Simon, it's not your fault," Jocelyn says, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Valentine is back, and there is nothing you could have done to stop that," She tells him, and he wants to believe her. "Okay?"

Simon just nods, "Are you going to be with us in the fight?" Simon asks her.

"I wouldn't miss it," Jocelyn tells him, a small smile on her face.

Simon nods again, and his eyes turn the colour of blue his magic is, "I will do everything I can to take Valentine down."

"We all will," Jocelyn agreed, "Now go and spend this time well," She tells him and he returns the sentiment.

When Simon leaves, Clary and Luke are already heading back into the room. He passes Izzy before he leaves and she stops him.

"Alec and Magnus went to your guys' house," She tells him and he just nods. "Where are you going?" She asks him, noticing his jacket is back on.

"The Hotel DuMort," He informs her and she gives him a knowing smile, "See you soon Izzy."

She gives him a sad smile, Simon knows she can tell not everyone is going to make it through what they hope is the final fight. He knows it hurts her that Jace is on the other side of the war, and he can't imagine how it must be for Alec. Simon knows that he is doing the right thing by staying to fight.

Simon knows Raphael will fight with the Shadowhunters, only just to get rid of Valentine. He portals to the Hotel with ease and sets out to find Raphael. He locates him in the kitchen, drinking a cup of blood in a coffee mug, probably his breakfast.

"Raph," Simon says with a smile.

"What do you need, Simon?" Raphael asks setting his cup down.

Simon's face falls, he sits down across from Raphael at the counter. "The war isn't on the horizon, it's here," Simon sighs as he rubs his face. "Here as in two days to be exact."

Raphael raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him. "The Shadowhunters are going against Valentine. They're going after him with everything they've got," Simon informs Raphael.

"Just the Shadowhunters?" Raphael asks in turn, taking a drink from his cup.

"A lot of the New York werewolf packs are joining in, some fae as far as I've heard," Simon tells him, almost reaching for the cup in his tired state.

Raphael chuckles, pulling the cup closer to him, "You want to know if we stand with you," He says, no question tone in his voice.

Simon nods, "You don't have to, and if you don't I'll understand," Simon tells him but Raphael shakes his head.

"No, Valentine attacked my people, unprovoked, that's grounds for revenge," Raphael tells him, "We stand with you."

Simon smiles softly at him, "Are you sure your people will be okay with fighting alongside wolves and Shadowhunters?" Simon asks him, not wanting the vampire to lose his standing in the clan.

"I won't be fighting along side the Shadowhunters," Stan says, his voice hard, coming into the kitchen and Simon makes sure his disappointment doesn't show, then a smile comes on Stan's face as he claps a hand on Simon's shoulder (Simon wonders why so many people do that), "I'll be fighting with you," He tells Simon.

"So will I," Lily says, coming in from the lounge area.

"And I can promise so will everyone else," Stan tells him and Simon smiles.

"See, we stand by you Simon," Raphael tells him, finishing his cup, "Lily, gather all the clan in the lounge. We have an announcement to make," Raphael tells Lily and she nods, running out of the room.

It doesn't take long for all the vampire to be sat, some standing, in the lounge area. Raphael, Lily, and Simon standing in front of them.

"As we all know, Valentine has recently attacked our scouts," Raphael says, his tone serious and business like, when he says this, all of the vampires in the room hiss at the name. "We now have an opportunity for revenge," Raphael smirks, his face is mirrored by most of the vampires in the room.

Simon stands up straighter, now that it is his turn to talk, "The Shadowhunters," Simon starts and he can feel the air in the room change to distrust, Simon ignores it, "Have a plan that could very well work, with enough support. The Wolves of New York, some of the fae, have already agreed to aid them, as well as Magnus Bane and I," Simon tells them and when he mentions that Downworlders are already set to help they listen closer, "Valentine cannot be defeated unless everyone works together, he has an army, we need one too," Simon informs them, he doesn't have a way with words, so he just lays out the facts.

A vampire in the back stands up, one Simon thinks he may have worked on, "So you're going to be in the fight, right?" he asks and Simon nods in confirmation. "Then I'm in."

Voices of agreement rumble through out the group and a smile blossoms on Simon's face. "We leave in two days, 8PM, get ready for a fight."

Lily is the one who speaks next, "Keep rested, this won't be a war won easily," She tells them all, and apparently the meeting is dismissed because people filter out, some staying to drink breakfast.

Lily gives him a smile as she tells them that she has to do some work, communicating with other clans, she informs Simon, Raphael already knew.

"So, Raphael, have any clan leader business you have to attend to?" Simon asks him, following Raphael up to his room.

"No, my next two days a free, I want to enjoy them," Raphael tells him, kicking his door open.

"Do you want me to leave?" Simon asks him, self consciously.

Raphael looks taken aback, "No, I figured I would do something while you rambled about something as I do," Raphael says, already knowing how they're time together goes.

A large smile breaks out onto Simon's face. "Well in that case," Simon says, hopping onto his spot on Raphael's desk. "Have you ever heard of a show called Misfits? Because that is one very crazy show," Simon starts and he misses the way Raphael mutters about already regretting letting him stay.

They spend their two days talking, Raphael making borderline mean comments, and Simon going on about any topic that happens to cross his mind. They spend what could very well be their last days alive together, because they don't have much left to cling to.

* * *

Magnus is mixing Alec and himself a drink, Alec sitting on one of the wicker chairs to the counter he was mixing them at.

As Magnus pours the drinks into a glass he looks to Alec, "As much as I love," he smirks, "Spending time with you, are you sure you wouldn't rather be at the Institute?"

Alec gives him a small smile taking the glass from his hand, "Yes, Magnus," Alec says, "I'm not sure if I can deal with the stares for two straight days," He tells Magnus, taking a drink from the glass.

"Oh, Alexander," Magnus says, placing his hand over Alec's.

"I'll be fine Magnus," Alec says, intertwining their hands, "Let's make the most of these two days," He says, and Magnus knows the words 'They may be our last' are left unsaid.

"Let's learn a bit more about each other Alexander," Magnus says, pulling Alec into the living room with him.

* * *

Clary is sitting on her bed, flipping through pictures of Simon and her on her phone, wondering how she never saw something off about him, when Izzy walks in.

"Hey," She says, sitting down on Clary's bed with her.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Clary asks her, watching the girl sigh.

"Weird," Izzy tells her, "No one is saying it, but we all know not all of us are making it out alive," Izzy says, a frown on her face.

Clary swallows the lump in her throat, "I know."

"It feels so weird, doesn't it?" Izzy asks, but Clary lets her continue, "I risk my life everyday, and everyday I expect to make it back. But not this time," Izzy tells her.

Clary shuffles closer to her, "Hey, we'll be fine," Clary tells her, pulling her into a hug, tears sliding down both of their faces.

"Yeah," Izzy agrees.

They both know it's a lie, they understand that friends, family, possibly even lovers are going to fall to Valentine. But they also know it needs to happen to win, to protect the Shadow World.


	9. The end of a war

Simon wakes up the night of the fight, the feeling of a rock in his gut. He came back to the apartment in the morning, sleeping all day so he has energy for the entire fight. He wakes up, gets dressed, and drinks a cup of coffee. As he drinks he thinks, which is a dangerous think to do.

His mind gravitates towards the fact that he may not be alive at the end of this. And if he is, some of his friends won't. He's watched countless people die, it hurt the same each time. Yet he has (obviously) never experienced dying. It's an odd thought, to think that your time is coming to an end.

It's then that Simon realizes he isn't afraid to die. He's lived a very long life, he's lived as many people. He's seen the sights, lived the wonders. Maybe it's his time to go, the clock winding down.

He can imagine Magnus having similar thoughts, but then again, Magnus is a few centuries younger than him. So Simon's thoughts turn to Raphael, who is barely passed 70, a young vampire, if you take many others into consideration. Raphael is too young to die, for a vampire at least. His inner monologue of death is interrupted by Alec and Magnus coming in.

"We have to get the the Institute," Alec tells them, looking at the clock that reads 7:50.

"I'll portal us there," Simon tells them, dumping the rest of his coffee in the sink. "The vampires will be there at 8."

Simon creates the portal and the three of them go through, showing up where Izzy, Clary, Luke, and Jocelyn stand, dressed and loaded ready to fight. Alec gets his bow and quiver, grabbing an extra sword for the use in up close fighting.

"The werewolves are waiting out front," Luke tells them all, "Are we portalling there?" He asks Izzy.

"If either of the warlocks have ever been to Smitings Manufacturing Factory, or anywhere near there," Izzy says, pulling up the location of the building.

"Luckily for you, I have," Magnus tells them. "Now, is everyone prepared, I'll portalling us in here," Magnus says, pointing to the trees surrounding the building.

Simon's phone buzzes and he checks the message, "The vampires are ready when we are."

"As are the fae," Izzy says. "It's time!" She shouts and the doors open, dozens o vampires, werewolves, and fae coming in. Shadowhunters gather around, all waiting for the portal to be opened, looking at the location they are going.

* * *

Clary has a job to do, a plan in place, so she runs out of the wooded area as fast as she can. The guards are about to attack her when she says the magic words, "I want to see my father," She says. And it works, she doesn't spare a glance backwards, the guards leading her through the front doors.

As they do however she drops a pen in the doorway, stopping it from closing completely. She feels her heart beating loudly in her ears as she is walked down hallway after hallway, down a large flight up steps, leading her to a large room, which was once filled with machines.

"Clarissa!" Valentine says as she comes through the doors, "To what do I owe this surprise?" He asks her, Jace at his side.

Clary swallows, "I did some research," She starts, taking a step closer, making her words rushed. "I see what you mean now! Downworlders, they do such horrible things," She says to him, and she can see the smirk forming on his face, "The vampires kill mundanes without a second thought! The werewolves are just beasts, I've seen it. And warlocks! They use their powers for personal gain and hurt who they want to get where they are!" She says, all the while coming closer.

"And?" Valentine asks her.

"I want to join you," She tells him, forming tears in her eyes,"We have to keep blood pure and protect the mundanes!"

Valentine smirks and sighs, "I knew you would see my side," He says, "There is a place for you at my side," He tells her, pointing to the side that Jace doesn't occupy.

* * *

During all of this, the fight is being fought on all floors of the factory. Alec and Izzy are fighting on the third floor with vampires and Shadowhunters around them. Izzy takes down one of Valentine's men as Alec shoots an arrow into the head of another.

Izzy has a gash on her left arm, blood pouring out and she doesn't understand how all of the vampires are ignoring it but then again at this point everyone is bleeding. Her body burns as snaps the neck of another enemy, picking herself off the ground and bolting up the steps to the next floor.

Alec has blood all over him, on his clothes, in his hair, his lip is split and he can taste metal. He is shooting arrows all over as he makes his way backwards up the steps. One of Valentine's men gets close enough to graze his stomach with their weapon and he grabs the hilt, turning it on them. His shirt is ripped and he's bleeding in another spot but he ignores it, following Izzy up.

Both of them are protecting Simon and Magnus, who themselves are fighting of Valentine's men. Simon has daggers stashed all over him, and Magnus is opting for a sword he had in his house. Overall it's pretty interesting seeing magic users fight with weapons.

Simon whips a dagger at one of the men running after them, hitting his in the forehead, the man falling like a bad of sand. Magnus is twirling the world like it's a part of him and Alec is trying not watch so he doesn't get distracted. He figures the sword must be a long time companion of Magnus' as he swings it, slicing on of the chasers down the chest.

They figured out that the Mortal Cup was on the highest floor, which they are going up the steps to now. They stop right at the top, Alec putting a finger up, signalling to stay silent as he peers out the side.

"Five," He mouths to the group, and they all prepare their weapons. Alec nods and they run out.

Izzy uses her whip to drag the furthest to her, and stabbing him in the back with her weapon. Alec is in combat with another, weapons clashing with a buzz and they fight. The man drops, a dagger sticking out of his back just as Magnus takes down the third.

Magnus' hands glow and spark blue as he opens a portal and pushes the last two through it.

Everyone is breathing heavily in the suddenly very quiet hallway.

"So," Izzy gasps, "Gonna get that Cup or?" as Simon and Magnus just stand there.

"Right sorry," Simon tells her, walking up carefully to the metal door, which has no window.

Simon puts his hand up to the door and it glows blue as his eyes light up the same shade. He whispers something in another language as part of the door seemingly fizzles away to reveal what the room looks like. The Cup itself is sitting on a podium made of marble.

"Look," Magnus says, pointing to the bottom of the podium.

"Looks like the podium is in the ground," Izzy says, showing it to Alec.

"My guess," Simon tells them, "It drops down to where Valentine is at, you said he was in the basement right?" Simon asks and Alec nods his head.

Simon is staring at the Cup, trying to figure out the best way to get it. He can imagine the second anything comes near the Cup, the podium is going to drop. The Cup getting taken along for the ride.

"So?" Alec says, getting unnerved by the silence around him.

"Give him a moment Alexander, he is trying to figure out the best way to do this," Magnus tells him, laying a hand on his bloody chest.

A light bulb goes off in Simon's head, "Where do I have to send it to?" He asks.

"To us," Izzy tells him, "We have to have a way to get out of here, this place is crawling with demons, we can use it against Valentine."

Simon nods, "Get ready, because I'm probably bringing half of the podium with it, ready?" He asks them and they nod.

Simon and Magnus stand in front of the 'window', focusing all their concentration on the Cup. A deep breathe in, hands glowing brightly, Simon's eyes glowing as well. As they both chant the same thing in syn with one another, The Cup and half the podium disappear,.

The top half and the Cup appear behind them, right next to Alec and Izzy. Alec grabs the Cup quickly as he hears footsteps approaching. Men swarm both ends of the hallway they stand in and Magus pulls Alec closer.

"We gotta get out of here," Izzy yells as she uses her whip to hold some of them off.

"I guess we're going to Valentine," Simon says as a portal appears behind the group and they all fall back into.

* * *

The scene they fall into is a mess. Vampire's, werewolves, Shadowhunters, alike fighting in chaos. There are bodies on the floor and Simon spots Raphael snapping the neck of one of Valentine's men.

"Well, well, well," They hear Valentine, turning to look at him, standing high on a metal contraption, "The guests of honor have arrived!" He yells and all the fighting stops.

Clary and Jace are standing on either side of Valentine and he smirks, "I have demons all over this place," He tells them, pulling out a remote from his pocket. "A press of this button and I will have the Mortal Cup, and your fight will be over," Valentine says, pressing one of the buttons on the remote and there is a rumbling sound.

Alec holds onto Magnus' hand as he keeps the one with the cup firmly behind his back, hidden between him and the wall. The podium is coming through the ceiling, the bottom only being able to be seen as demons flood in through the doors.

Valentine realizes the Cup isn't there and grabs Clary, an arm around her neck as he walks close to the edge of the contraption he stands on. "Where is it?" He yells out angrily.

Unbeknownst to him Clary is slowly reaching her hand into her jacket pocket. She gives Simon the look. Simon nods in acknowledgement.

"Now!" He yells out and the fighting starts once more, this time all heading closer to Valentine.

Alec holds up the Cup, "Demons! Attack my enemies," He yells out and all hell (almost literally) breaks loose. Demons head straight for all the Shadowhunters Valentine made.

Clary's hand finally finds the slip of paper, and focusing, she pulls the Seraph Blade off the paper and pulls out of Valentine's grip, the sound of screams and death behind her.

Simon and Magnus are running around, movements swift and fast as their hands glow with power. Alec stands, surrounded by a barrier of Shadowhunters, various vampires, werewolves, and fae, protecting the one with the Cup.

* * *

Magnus runs back to where Alec is, fighting off the Valentine's Shadowhunters as the barrier around Alec weakens. He is taking down one after the other and he can feel that he is going to be running out of energy and magic soon. Exhaustion is gnawing at his as he pushes back the final enemy, pushing Alec as close to he wall as he can.

Izzy is down, huddled against a wall, a bit further away from the fight going on. She has a large gash on her stomach, and her vision is starting to get blurry. She can barley feel the pain anymore as her breath becomes shallow. She sees her mother go down, and she blacks out.

Simon is just about to reach where Raphael is, fighting off those who come up to him with magic and daggers. he's only meters away when he feels it. The painful experience of getting stabbed, with a sword, yet not a seraph blade, which he can only count himself lucky for.

Simon's eyes go wide as he sees the end of the sword come through his stomach and he feels it get pulled back out, ripping downwards as it does. He falls to his knees, coughing, blood pouring out of his mouth and all he can taste is metal, all he sees is red drops on the ground, and he has the feeling this may be his last few minutes.

Simon looks up, everything in slow motion, seeing Raphael losing a fight against one of Valentine's people, hears Alec and Magnus yelling as they fight, and he feels the energy inside of him pulsing as he let's out an anguished scream. As he does so a wave of blue light shoots out of him, like a pebble being dropped in a lake, and he collapses. Taking down all of Valentine's shadow hunters with him.

* * *

Clary turns and with a cry out, plunges the Seraph Blade into Valentine's heart. He looks into her eyes, sadness, anger, a mix of all emotions in them and whispers, "I always loved you, Clarissa." And with that he coughs out blood, which hits Clary's face and falls to the ground.

Clary coughs herself, and drops the Seraph blade she just stabbed her father with, and falls to her knees.

"It's over," She whispers as she feels arms come around her.

"I know," The person says, "I know."

Clary looks up at the person, Jace, as tears fall down her face, "You are good," She says, putting a hand on his face, just as they are knocked down from the wave of energy hitting them.

She scrambles to her feet, "What was that?" She asks Jace and her eyes go wide when she sees Simon being held by Raphael and Magnus.

She then realizes that all Valentine's men are down, only the people on their side left standing. Jumping off the contraption, Jace on her heels she rushes over. Alec doing the same, an unconscious profusely bleeding Izzy in his arms, tears running down his face.

Magnus, not taking his eyes off Simon, creates a portal directly next to him, Simon, and Raphael, the vampire taking all the weight of the heavily bleeding boy as they rush through the portal. Alec is right behind them, checking Izzy's pulse and he too fades away, Clary and Jace are next, running through behind their friends. All those who lived through the fight follow behind, most injured, some carrying each other, but they all know.

The threat has been taken care of, that they're safe.

* * *

The Institute is a wreck, the medical room filling quickly as the last people stumbled through the portal. Except a certain group of people had pulled into the workout room, laying the two injured right on the ground.

Simon and Izzy are both laying on the floor. Alec frantically going over her healing rune, Magnus' glowing hands going over Simon's still body.

"She needs blood!" Alec shouts out, ignoring the gashes and cuts on himself as he turns to Raphael.

"So does Simon," Magnus tells them, looking closer and closer to crying.

Clary is hyperventilating, trying to calm down, she almost lost her mom, she can't lose Simon too. Raphael himself, has already left the building, rushing to the Hotel DuMort, grabbing as much of Camille's human blood stash as he can.

He can't let them die, none of them can.

* * *

Simon can't feel anything, he hears low murmurs, maybe, faintly in the background. He feels like he's thousands of feet under water, trapped, yet not drowning. Almost as if he is in a sinking boat with a boat that is far under the water's surface.

If this is what dying feels like it's different then what he thought it would be. There's no pain, just the over whelming feeling of something pushing him further and further away for the water's surface.

He thought he would meet those that he loved in a past life, waiting for him, to say something. Dreams can be dreams. He can still think, he understands that he probably isn't dead yet. Mainly because he hears whispering around him, which he can only assume are actually yells or screams. Whatever the case may be Simon can't make out what they're saying.

One thing, he hopes, is that Izzy lives. He saw her go down, she deserves a longer life. If anything, her living and him dying would be fine, he's old, he's lived, she hasn't. Raphael will find someone better, Magnus can mourn with Alec, but he'd move on. He's sure Clary would be the second worst, but she could find solace in someone. Magnus, who just got him back, Raphael who he just found, maybe this isn't his time. It's Simon's last thought before he can't think.

* * *

"It's starting to heal, it's starting to...," Alec yells out, the blood bags attached to both Simon and Izzy. Alec watches as the gash on Izzy's stomach slowly, but surely, starts to stitch back together.

Magnus doesn't hear him, too busy looking close to crying and taking energy from Clary, her being one of the only ones not drained from the fight. Clary herself looks just about ready to tap out when she lurches forward close to Simon, because she just saw his mouth part open.

Simon, for all it's worth, is breathing ever so slightly deeper. Magnus, Clary, and Raphael all let out a cry as they see the would sizzle with blue sparks.

"What is happening?" Clary asks, heaving in deep breathes of air, confusion written clear on her face. the last time she saw a warlock heal there hadn't been blue sparks on the wounds.

Magnus shakes his head, tears rolling down his face, "I've never seen this." He answers honestly as the blue sparks of energy turn into a wave of faint blue, covering Simon as it goes.

Izzy is fluttering her eyes open, Alec pulling her into a tight embrace as the wound is done healing, just as Simon breathes in a deep chunk of air, more akin to a gasp.

Simon chokes as his lungs fill with more air than they had gotten in the past minutes, his eyes still closed as he is wracked with shivers. He doesn't know how, but he broke through the water, he can breathe, he can feel.

"Simon, Simon dear," Magnus says, brushing his forehead, and pushing the hairs stuck to his head up and off. "You're okay, you're okay." He tells him quietly, happy he won't lost his best friend again.

Raphael is sitting quietly, waiting for Simon to fully wake up, his mind going haywire with the nerves and blood he can sense everywhere in the building.

"Mag..." Simon whispers quietly, his voice cracking, be in from the blood he was spitting up or something else, they won't know. "Is... everyone... okay?" He asks, still struggling to speak.

Raphael leans closer to him, "Ah, so close to death, and still worried of others." He says with a hollow laugh.

Simon coughs out something that is almost a chuckle and everyone's hearts are put to ease, if even just a little bit. "I'll.. be... fine." Simon tells them, and he does his best to squeeze Raphael's wrist before he closes his eyes again, having lost the energy to stay conscience quickly.

* * *

Simon wakes up in pain, his entire body feels like he just got into a fist fight with a bear. He groans and sits up, the memories flooding in, the fight, getting stabbed, waking up briefly.

"You're finally up." He hears next to him and someone is hugging him tightly. He can tell by the orange curls that it's Clary and he hugs her back.

"How long have I been out?" Simon asks her as she pulls away.

"Three days," She tells him, worry clear in her voice. Simon's eyes widen at that, he hadn't even realized. His stomach growls, reminding him he had used a lot of magic, and hadn't eaten in three days.

"Magnus and Raphael are in the main room." She tells him, and he is lugging himself onto his feet, he's cold, and looks down to find the shirt he is wearing is made of a very thin material, but his vision is lightly blurry.

* * *

"I'm glad you're okay," Raphael tells him, when they have a few moments alone in a quiet hallway.

Simon smiles at him, and pulls the vampire into a hug, feeling as he releases the tension in his shoulders. "I said I would be fine," He says softly in the Raphael's ear.

"I will admit, I was worried." Raphael says hugging him tighter, before pulling back slightly to look into Simon's eyes.

"I'm sorry, but in the end, everyone of us came out of this alive." He says, placing a hand on Raphael's cheek.

"The Lightwood adults are gone." Raphael informs him, "It's why Magnus was so close to Alec, and why Clary kept Izzy close."

Simon's smile falls a bit, "Oh, that must be horrid for them. Let's be happy that Izzy made it out from the injury then." He says, letting the smile come back.

"Simon." Raphael says, no tone in his voice and it makes Simon worry. "I need to ask something." All Simon does is nod in response.

"Magnus knows, and it seemed clear that you are a lot older than Magnus, more experienced, so how old are you?" Raphael asks him, and he can assume it's out of confusion at his actions.

"I was born in the 1200's," Simon tells him, and he can see the shock of Raphael's face, so matter how good he hid it.

"You're?" Raphael asks and Simon just nods.

"I'm around 800 years old, Raph," He says with a sigh and Raphael just nods.

"That's fine, I mean...," Raphael says, and starts to smirk, taking Simon's collar in his hands, "You must have quite a bit of experience," He says as he back Simon on the wall and Simon chuckles.

"You could say that...," Simon answers as Raphael leans in to connect their mouths. And he thinks that, maybe, just maybe the problems he knows are out there for him, can wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This seems very unresolved for reasons guys lol.


End file.
